02052015_MCEdition - The Sentinel Newspapers

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Vol. 160, No. 30 • 50¢
February 5, 2015 -February 11, 2015
Falling Starr!
TODAY’S GAS
PRICE
$2.13 per gallon
Last Week
$2.17 per gallon
School Superintendent resigns after failing to gather board support
A month ago
By Rebecca Guterman
$2.38 per gallon
Staff Writer
A year ago
ROCKVILLE — Following
Tuesday’s announcement of Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr’s resignation, some County Council members
are calling for more transparency and
clarity as the board looks toward a national search to fill the position.
The Board of Education announced Starr will resign on Feb. 16
$3.33 per gallon
AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON OF
UNLEADED REGULAR GAS IN
MARYLAND/D.C. METRO AREA
ACCORDING TO AAA
INSIDE
following speculation about whether
the board would renew Starr’s contract as the BOE discussed his contract in closed session. MCPS Chief
Operating Officer Larry Bowers will
serve as interim superintendent until
Starr’s four-year term ends June 30.
“While I’m not happy certainly
at the way things have turned out, at
the same time it is absolutely the
board’s authority to move in a direction that they see fit. I am superintendent of schools, I hold no illusions
about longevity in this job,” Starr
said.
Starr would not comment on the
reasons for his early resignation and
said discussions about his leadership
with the board were private and personnel matters. The board is not required by law to discuss his contract
in closed session, but it has the option
to.
Board President Patricia O’Neill
would also not elaborate on the
board’s specific reasons, but said it
was for the school system’s “best interest.” She said she personally had a
good relationship with Starr.
“The board made their statement
and that’s all there is to say,” said
MCPS Chief Communications Officer Brian Edwards after the press
conference. “The board and superintendent made their agreement on how
they’re moving forward and that’s
See “County calls” page 8
Metro faces massive lawsuit
By Julian Sadur
Special to the Sentinel
Revival
Rockville Mayor Bridget
Newton presents upbeat news
at the State of the City Address.
Page 3
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On
Wednesday the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced they will hold an investigative hearing in late June to discuss the ongoing investigation of
the Jan. 16 metro incident that left
83 injured and one dead.
NTSB officials said the hearing, which will be held in their offices in Washington, D.C., will focus on the conditions leading to the
arcing, emergency response efforts,
Washington Metropolitan Area
Transit Authority (WMATA) efforts to improve its overall safety
and safety culture since the Fort
Totten accident in 2009 and the
state of WMATA’s infrastructure
among other things.
The announcement comes only
days after the sons of Carol Glover,
who died after suffering from
smoke inhalation during the incident, filed a lawsuit against WMATA shedding new light on the delays Metro staff experienced during
the event.
According to the lawsuit, a circuit breaker had tripped on the third
rail where the arcing occurred 10
minutes before the train encountered dense smoke, but WMATA
did not investigate. A preliminary
report from NTSB confirms the
time of the circuit break but does
not detail whether the break was investigated.
The $50 million lawsuit claims
See “Metro ” page 8
Leggett throws transit
plans into reverse
Down Goes
R.M.
The Richard Montgomery
Rockets finally fall at the
hands of Springbrook.
Page 19
By Rebecca Guterman
Staff Writer
ROCKVILLE — County Executive Ike Leggett withdrew his proposal for state legislation enabling the
county to create an Independent Transit Authority (ITA) after mounting
pressure from residents and some
elected officials who said the process
was rushed and the language unclear.
“Many other voices expressed
great concern about the viability of
Bus Rapid Transit or about how a future transit system should be financed
and managed,” Leggett wrote in a
memo Monday to County Council
President George Leventhal (D-At
large). “By June, I hope we can develop a consensus on the best approach
for achieving our transit and transportation objectives.”
The Montgomery County delegation to Annapolis voted 19-4 to accept the bill for late-filing on Jan. 23
and held a public hearing Friday at 6
p.m. with more than 70 speakers. The
bill would have enabled the County
Council to establish an ITA to govern
the county’s transit functions, including projects like the Corridor Cities
Transitway (CCT) and other bus
See “Leggett” page 8
Another one bites the dust . . .
PHOTO BY JACQUI SOUTH
With seconds to play R.Mʼs Nick Jackson and Daniel Alexander double team
Springbrookʼs Donovan Walker but suffered their first loss of the season.
2
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
R
EFLECTIONS
February 14, 1935
County delegation works to enact Annapolis bills
Each week The Sentinel visits a
memorable story from its archives.
New financial bills affecting
Montgomery County were introduced in the House Monday as
members of the Montgomery delegations began the second day of
their first full legislative week of
the current season.
Harmony between the Democratic and Fusion members of the
Montgomery County and the town
of Cot-gomery County delegation
was evidenced this week when T.
Yellott Canby, chairman, announced that two bills, originally
sponsored by the minority members, would be backed by the entire
delegation.
The proposals involved would
abolish the County Liquor Board
and require a detailed statement of
the county’s finances each year.
Just before Tuesday’s session
began, Delegates Joseph A. Cantrel
and Walter M. Magruder, Fusionists, showed their Democratic col-
leagues their bill to require the
county accountant to publish annually, in pamphlet form, a detailed
statement of the receipts and expenditures of all county boards, commissions and public offices.
Delegate Canby also said he
would endeavor to have the bill to
abolish the county Liquor Board
and turn its duties over to the county commissioners, bear the name of
the entire delegation. Introduced
some time ago, it carries only the
name of Delegate Cantrel. The fate
of many other Fusion-sponsored
bills, which must meet the approval
of the Democrats before they can be
enacted, is uncertain.
Monday night the Senate
passed the Prescott bill to put the
Montgomery County police force
under civil service. The House gave
final passage to the Cantrel bill to
prohibit county officials from having a financial interest in public
transactions and receive two “uniform egg bills” sponsored by farm
organizations.
The new Montgomery fiscal
measure, offered by Delegates
Joseph A. Cantrel and Walter M.
Magruder, would require the county accountant to compile and publish, in pamphlet form, “an intelligent” understanding of all receipts,
expenditures and bonded debt” of
the county in October of each year,
beginning in 1936.
The bills describes the proposed statement as one that would
be “itemized in the minutest detail.” Similar statements now are issued in Fredrick County.
Refunding of $300,000 worth
of bonds maturing during the impeding fiscal year and the retirement of all 1936 obligations when
they become due will be recommended to the county commissioners under a resolution adopted by
the Montgomery County Civic
Federation Monday night.
The $850,000 school construction program recently drafted to
provide educational facilities for
the heavy increases in school atten-
dances was indorsed and the commissioners are to be urged to seek
provisional legislation authorizing
the issuance of bonds to finance the
program if the county’s application
for a P. W. A. grant and loan is rejected.
In another move the federation
voted to favor the abolition of the
office of county supervisor of aid
and advocate the operation of a
county department of public welfare operated by a staff of qualified
welfare workers and supervised by
a non-salaried public welfare
board.
During the debate Joseph B.
Matre strongly opposed any plan to
retire a major portion of the 1935
obligations, declaring that Montgomery would be instantly converted into a “ghost county” evacuated
by people moving back into Washington to escape heavy taxation.
Matre said that a boom in
building is imminent and the increased tax baseof the county
would be appropriate.
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NEWS
Community and airpark clash after fatal crash
By Rebecca Guterman
Staff Writer
ROCKVILLE – After the Dec.
8 crash that killed six near the Montgomery County Airpark (GAI), the
nearby community is still pushing
for noise and safety mitigations that
some say do not address the right issues.
The concerns arose on Jan. 28 at
a meeting of the Airpark Liaison
Committee, which the council
formed in 1989 to meet on an asneeded basis. In December, the community called for a review of the airpark operations after Michael Rosenberg, a licensed pilot from North
Carolina, crashed an EMB-500 Phenom 100 jet into three houses on
Drop Forge Lane less than a mile
from his destination at the Montgomery County Airpark, runway 14.
Montgomery County Revenue
Authority CEO Keith Miller told the
committee he has met with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
about their concerns, moved up the
park’s annual Maryland Aviation Administration inspection and met with
the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, but representatives of the
community wanted action sooner.
Retired airline transport pilot
Harry Houckes, who lives in Virginia
and is not part of the committee, suggested the committee form a panel to
produce concrete recommendations
for risk mitigation. Committee Chair
Howard Layer said the committee
meets only to discuss rather than recommend, but the County Council
could form a panel like that.
“Until you do that we’re going
around in circles,” Houckes said.
Miller said he would be willing
to participate in a panel but agencies
like the FAA may not be until the National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) has completed its investigation into the accident, which could
take 6-12 months.
“As a matter of fact, the department of the FAA cautioned us at this
point to not make any hasty changes
because until we find out what the
NTSB wants, we might find out the
change we put into place was completely opposite of what they want,”
Miller said.
But nearby resident Nancy
Shenk still wanted some action before the NTSB finished its investigation and suggested a community
meeting.
“I have a hard time waiting a
year, six months to a year, when you
have a community that has been so
distraught over what happened in
their community, and I think to wait a
year is not giving that community a
chance to really talk to the people
they need to talk to,” she said.
Pilots in attendance said they
felt some residents’ concerns had no
connection to the crash. Pilot Deborah Dreyfuss said some of their concerns were “based on emotion, not
facts.”
Robert Anderson, co-chair of
the Airpark Concerned Citizens Alliance, said he wanted to downgrade
the airpark from a reliever airport for
Reagan National Airport. But Miller
said a change in status would not stop
jets from landing there.
Sandy Richardson-Poe, owner
of the fixed base operator at the airpark, said the reliever status also
does not mean air traffic controllers
at major airports tell planes to land at
GAI.
Richardson-Poe said pilots unfamiliar with the area also have to
complete a FAA course on the landscape surrounding GAI in order to be
able to land there.
Richardson-Poe and private pilot
Joyce Breiner also said the pilots are
not against making the airpark safer,
but are not sure that could have prevented Rosenberg’s crash on Dec. 8.
Write us
REBECCA GUTERMAN
CALENDAR EDITOR
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FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
3
NEWS
PHOTO BY JULIAN SADUR
Rockville Mayor Bridget Newton
Newton revives Rockville
By Rebecca Guterman
Staff Writer
ADVERTISE
in
Call Lonnie Johnson at 301-306-9500
or e-mail [email protected]
ROCKVILLE — In a revival of
the annual State of the City address,
Mayor Bridget Newton called for
community activism, development,
and county and state partnerships to
keep Rockville the “city that energizes.”
“Your (former mayors’) support for reinstating the State of the
City means that we can take politics
and personalities out of the equation
and come together to celebrate the
energy that is Rockville,” Newton
said before an audience of about 100
elected officials, employees and residents at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre. “If we put our energies towards
creating a sustainable city for the future, we will have a legacy for those
that follow.”
As the city, county and state all
look toward drafting their budgets
for the next fiscal year, Newton
called Rockville the economic engine of the county and state and said
the city is in a strong financial position going forward.
According to Newton, the city
repaid $9 million in debt in fiscal
2014 and has not raised the property
tax rate in seven years.
She also said the city is in a
good position for businesses thanks
to the efforts of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce and Rockville
Economic Development, Inc.
In recent discussions on the
city’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance
and
Standards
(APFO/APFS) many developers testified as to the negative effects of a
development moratorium on the
city, with some citing the vacancies
in the town square. Still, Newton
said the town square opened during
the worst years of the recession and
she has faith it will recover despite
complaints about parking.
“Once you get away from the
town center, we’re great and I think
the town center is going to be great
again, too,” she said. “A lot of people like surface parking and I think
the wave of the future is not to have a
lot of surface parking so it’s a warning lesson for all of us…to make adjustments as necessary. I think the
future of Rockville is strong.”
Newton also said she was looking forward to projects like the
Rockville Pike Plan, and envisions
eventually creating a plaza with
green space near the metro and turning unused property on Stonestreet
into townhouses.
Many citizens in attendance
said they supported the mayor’s priorities and sentiment. Councilmember Julie Palakovich Carr said she
was glad to see the State of the City
tradition return. She also said the
Rockville Pike Plan is one of the
biggest projects on the council’s
agenda right now.
“It’s been a long time coming.
That’s going to be an important part
of the future of building the commercial center of Rockville and
making sure we get that plan moving
and adopted in a timely manner is
very important,” Palakovich Carr
said.
Twinbrook Citizens Association President Richard Gottfried said
he predicts the city will have a long
debate about the Pike Plan.
“A lot of the businesses and developers talk about smart growth,
but I think what we really need is
right size growth. That’s what we
need, right size growth for the
city…We have to see where we fit in
(with the development around us),”
Gottfried said.
Newton also spoke about the
APFS debate in her speech, encouraging the city to partner with other
jurisdictions to work out something
beneficial for city schools. Gottfried
agreed.
“We need to reach out to our
partners, the Montgomery County
Council, reach out to our District 17
Annapolis delegation, because that’s
where the money comes from,” he
said.
Newton said Rockville’s strong
financial position will allow the city
to catch up on capital projects, such
as the Swim and Fitness Center renovations as well as King Farm Farmstead.
Although she did not mention it
in her speech, Newton said she also
wants to focus on staff compensation this year. The city contracted
with Evergreen Solutions to revamp
its compensation and classification
policies following a 2013 investigation – conducted by Saul Ewing,
LLP – into discrimination complaints by city employees reported in
The Sentinel during a two-year long
investigation. Two former employees have tried to access Saul Ewing’s
report in separate lawsuits against
the city.
“I want to ensure that this year
we let our staff know how very
much we value and appreciate them.
We’ve waited a long time for the
Saul Ewing report to get worked out,
to update our personnel policies, to
come up with the comp and class
study. The time for action is now,”
Newton said.
Montgomery County Councilmember and former Gaithersburg
mayor Sidney Katz (D-3) said he
agreed with Newton’s talk of partnerships.
“She talked about the Maryland
Municipal League,” Katz said. “It
really comes together for legislation,
they come together for thoughts.
(People) talk about reinventing the
wheel. Well many times you don’t
need to.”
Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman also said he enjoys working
with Rockville. In her speech Newton said Rockville carries the county,
but Ashman said any competition
between the two municipalities is
“friendly.”
“Gaithersburg and Rockville
have a great partnership and we have
great partnerships with the county
and with our state delegation. We
need it,” Ashman said. “When good
things happen in Rockville, they
benefit Gaithersburg, too. Your residents eat in our restaurants and shop
in our stores, help the businesses in
our city and same thing, vice versa.”
4
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
OPINIONS &VIEWS
Considering the House
The Maryland House is considering a bill this session which would
provide protection for journalists
who work and live in the state but
gather information from outside of
the state and face incarceration for
their actions should they attempt to
protect confidential sources.
The move is based on a New
York case where a young reporter
faced being jailed in Colorado because of a confidential source though
she worked and reported from New
York City.
While to the outsider this legislation seems superfluous considering
Editorʼs Notebook
by Brian J. Karem
the serious budget problems our state
faces and considering the world at
large, it is nonetheless an issue which
deserves a good deal of attention.
Reporters have no power of subpoena. We cannot force anyone to
supply us information. We have only
our ability to establish trust with our
sources so we can providethe public
with information vital to the decision
making process in our society.
Make no mistake; I and other reporters do not like using confidential
sources. Many of us have spent a
great deal of time trying to convince
those who wish to remain anonymous to go on the record. We also
don’t just take “confidential” information and run with it as if it is fact.
We thoroughly research and rely on
more than one source before we consider facts verified and we go
through a long, drawn out editing
process before those facts are published.
In 30-years I’ve never used information from a confidential source
that didn’t pan out. If it didn’t pan
out, then I didn’t use it. Should I ever
find that I am the victim of being set
up by multiple sources, including a
confidential source, then I don’t
think I’d have a problem naming that
source – after all the trust goes both
ways.
I trust the source to provide me
information that is accurate. They
trust me to keep them out of harm’s
way.
I mention this because these
questions came up during testimony
before the Maryland House of Delegates Judiciary Committee Tuesday
as the committee considered the legislation to help protect reporters who
use confidential sources.
Maryland has a strong shield
law to protect reporters, but unfortunately more than half of the states in
our Republic offer protection that isn’t as reporter-friendly as the laws of
Maryland. I have worked in three
states where reporters helped to craft
modifications to the state’s shield
laws and we used the Maryland law
as an example to emulate.
Currently no state offers the protection House Bill 8 would afford reporters and that may cause some to
pause for deep reflection before they
pull the trigger here.
But, Maryland has long been at
the vanguard of First Amendment
rights and along with New York and a
handful of other states it has given reporters the tools with which we can
then go about doing our jobs correctly.
Tired of reading about Justin
Bieber? Tired of hearing about Kardashians or plunging necklines and
bubble-headed bleach blondes who
believe vaccines cause Global
Warming?
Me too.
The thing is, if you wish to read
and be a part of the important stories
which fashion life on this planet –
then you have to support those stories.
There are good reporters and
there are stories that need to be told.
Many of those stories can be provided by whistleblowers that need protection and that protection should be
provided by the reporters who are the
conduit through which the information flows.
Many of the most important stories in history originally had a confidential source that provided information at great personal risk – for whatever reason.
Forcing reporters to roll over on
those sources does not serve the
greater interest of our society, but indeed only serves the interest – usually – of those who do not subscribe to
transparency in government.
To those ends, we must protect
reporters. But I would be recalcitrant
in my duties if I did not mention
there is another side to the coin – the
whistleblower.
Government has been very
adept in weeding out and punishing
whistleblowers as of late and no one
is better at doing it than the current
U.S Department of Justice.
Though Maryland House Bill 8
addresses protecting the reporters,
there is still very little protection for
those who actually do come forward
if their identities can be ascertained
without the help of the journalist who
used them as a source.
Ultimately the state will have to
address that issue as well.
But For now, we support passing House Bill 8 for all the necessary
reasons.
And now in sports . . .
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
LETTERS
5
LEGAL MATTERS
Transportation anticipation
To the editor;
There are few things in my life more annoying than taxes in Montgomery
County.
Now we want to establish more governmental red tape and have our own
transportation authority. How will we pay for it?
Perhaps it would be much better if the current transportation authority did
it’s job instead of adding more red tape to an already beat up package.
The Metro Authority should be held accountable. Our tax dollars which
fund this horrible organization should also give us adequate oversight to make
sure the bureaucrats are doing their job.
How many more have to die using the Metro before we come to understand this.
D. Shipman
Rockville
The problems with intent
To convict a defendant under
Maryland law of first degree murder, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the
defendant in a premeditated way
THE
COURT
REPORT
by Tom Ryan
High Anxiety
To the editor;
Metro’s plan for higher fares and cutting back service makes perfect
since to me.
I have been using the Metro for 23 years - traveling back and forth on the
Red Line from Grosvenor to Metro Center every day.
After endless hours of waiting for doors to close or being delayed for one
reason or another, and after uncountable hours walking up and down broken
escalators I think I have it figured out.
Metro wants fewer riders so it is easier to maintain its infrastructure.
I am ready to oblige them.
intended to and did kill the victim.
Maryland’s interim appellate Court
this week explored the circumstances under which a conviction
for first degree murder may stand
for killing an unintended victim, in
a case called Bircher v. State.
The case involved a shooting
outside a bar which resulted in the
death of one person and the wounding of another in the arm. T h e
State called 25 witnesses in the
prosecution’s case. Witnesses
agreed that Bircher was drunk, and
fired 13 shots aimlessly into a
crowd of people outside the bar.
The defendant actually testified in his own behalf and gave his
version of events. He acknowledged he was drunk, and claimed
that from conversations with other
patrons he feared he was going to
be attacked. He then admitted that
he “just started firing in between
people,” intending merely to scare
them away. The defense also called
an expert to opine that Bircher had
mental disorders which could explain that he really thought he was
in danger.
The two sides disagreed essentially on the issue of intent. That
State argued that shooting 13 shots
into a crowd of people demonstrated a willful intent to kill everybody. The defense argued that
Bircher did not intend to shoot anyone, much less the victim who
died. The jury during deliberations
sent out a note requesting further
instruction on intent. Over defense
objection, the judge further instructed the jury on the doctrine of
transferred intent, “intent is present
if a person attempted to kill one
person and as a result of that act accidentally or mistakenly killed another person, such as a bystander or
a third person.” The jury convicted
Bircher of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, and
several assault and hand gun
crimes.
The appellate Court reversed
only the convictions for first degree murder and attempted murder,
holding that transferred intent was
not the State’s theory of the case.
There was no claim that Bircher intended to shoot one individual and
ended up killing another, and the
Judge should not have given that
instruction.
Thomas Patrick Ryan is a partner in the Rockville law firm of McCarthy Wilson, which specializes in
civil litigation.
Get to know before you have to owe
G. Stein
Rockville
For many, August 1st will be
like any other summer day. However for those in the lending and
real estate industries, August 1st
is when the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) new
lending, closing disclosures and
rules go into effect.
Write us
The Montgomery County Sentinel
welcomes letters.
We reserve the right to edit all submissionsfor content,
grammar and style.
Anonymous letters may or may not be published at our discretion.
All letters, submissions and or comments are considered on the record
and the property of The Montgomery County Sentinel.
We reserve the right to refuse publication of a letter for any reason.
All letters must be original, signed by the author and must include the
author’s daytime telephone number and email address for publication.
Please send letters to:
The Montgomery County Sentinel
22 W. Jefferson St. Suite 309
Rockville MD, 20850
Fax: 301-838-3458
[email protected]
Or add your comments to our website at
www.thesentinel.com
REAL
ESTATE
SOLUTIONS
By Dan Krell
“Know Before You Owe” is a
project that began before the official opening of the CFPB (which
officially opened July 21st 2011),
and undertook the remaking of
mortgage disclosures to make
them more consumer friendly.
You might say the project started
with the passing of the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act of 2010,
which mandated the creation of
the CFPB as well as amends the
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). Sec 1098 of
Dodd-Frank states that the Bureau
“shall publish a single, integrated
disclosure for mortgage loan
transactions” in a “readily understandable language” so as to help
borrowers understand the financial aspects of their loan clearly
and to be nontechnical.
A change in industry disclosure and compliance to enhance
consumer protection is not new.
RESPA and the Truth in Lending
Act (TILA) were both devised as
consumer protections, and
amended over the years. RESPA
was enacted in 1974 as a protection for consumers from abusive
and predatory lending practices to
help home buyers better shop for
services related to the home buying process. Enacted in 1968,
TILA provided guidelines for
which lenders are required to inform consumers about the cost of
their loan; which includes the disclosing the Annual Percentage
Rate (APR), finance charges,
amount financed, and the total
amount paid as scheduled. The
new integrated disclosure forms
replace the Good Faith Estimate
(GFE) and Settlement Statement
(HUD1) required by RESPA and
the Truth and Lending Disclosure
Statement required by TILA with
a Loan Estimate and a Closing
Disclosure.
RESPA and TILA require disclosures to be provided to you
within three days upon making
your mortgage application, as
well as not having changed prior
to your closing of the transaction.
Changes to these regulations and
disclosures have often been made
to keep up with the industry as
well as to enhance consumer disclosure and education; the most
recent revisions being made immediately after the financial crisis. Although redesigned to be
more efficient and accurate, the
most recent revision of the GFE
and the Truth in Lending Disclo-
sure Statement remained technical in nature. Many claimed the
forms remained confusing making
it difficult to compare mortgage
costs between lenders; costs were
not always labeled consistently
and sometimes changed prior to
closing.
By combining these disclosures into two forms in a clear and
understandable language, the
forms present important information conspicuously to help consumers decide if the mortgage is
affordable and warn about loan
features that they may want to
avoid. The new forms seek to
standardize fee and cost disclosures so as to make shopping easier; with standard cost and fee disclosures, comparisons will be
more like comparing two apples
rather than an apple to an orange.
One of the more important aspects of the new rules is that the
new Closing Disclosure be given
to the borrower three days prior to
settlement. During the three days
prior to closing, changes to the
Closing Disclosure that increase
charges are prohibited (unless allowed by exception). You can
find more information about the
CFPB and view the new disclosures at the CFPB website Know
Before You Owe (consumerfinance.gov/knowbeforeyouowe).
Dan Krell is a Realtor® with
RE/MAX All Pro in Rockville, MD.
You can access more information at
www.DanKrell.com.
6
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
FEDERATION
Keeping your eyes open
By Paula Bienenfeld
President Civic Federation
There is a somewhat ‘dirty’
joke which was told to me a long
time ago by a fellow archaeologist
after a long day in the field, and an
even longer night drinking beer and
tequila. (Archaeologists are like
that). I won’t repeat it here. Suffice
to say the punch line, ‘I’ll keep an
eye out for you,’ is worth repeating
here given the events that took place
over the last week, and are still continuing.
I refer of course to the infamous bill now making its way
through our Delegation in Annapolis, MC24-15, Montgomery Transit. (As I
write this, while the
bill was pulled from
the County Council
agenda, it is still on
track in Annapolis.)
The bill gives the
county a license to ignore our charter, and
create an Independent
Transit
Authority
(ITA) to be paid for by
taxpayers…the same
taxpayers who will
have no control over
the members, because
they won’t be elected.
As with WSSC, the
members will be appointed. As the bill
stands now the County Executive
would have the sole authority to appoint five people to this Authority,
with no term limits. They would set
and raise taxes as they want; take
property as they want; set up their
own sweet procurement process;
and sign contracts as they want.
Our elected Annapolis delegation held a hearing Friday night at
6pm to listen to testimony on the
proposed bill. The testimony, including from our civics, was overwhelmingly opposed to the bill and
the idea that the Charter would be
busted with this bill. The Charter tax
limit in place now was set in a public
referendum voted on by the citizens
of this county. The new bill was
largely seen as a way to raise property taxes above the limits that the voters set in a public election. The other authorities that the Authority
would have, to establish its own procurement policies and procedures,
and to enter into contracts with other
governments and private parties,
were too much for the good citizens
of Montgomery County to stomach.
As each person spoke, limited
to two minutes as an individual, or
three when representing an organization, these themes were repeated.
No to higher property taxes. No to
an ‘Authority’ controlling our public employees. No to the secret manner in which this bill was formulated. No to busting the Charter. No to
the powers that would be granted to
this Authority. No to an unelected
small group replacing our democratic process. All these powers need
to remain in the hands of our elected
representatives.
Others noted that even though
the Council would have the ultimate
vote on creating this Authority, no
one from that body was in attendance. Some residents were surprised at that lack of a council presence, having assumed that for such
an important issue there would have
been at least one member present.
As one woman stated, “I thought the
Council was going to be here. If it’s
their responsibility, I thought they
should be here.”
As has been reported elsewhere
Joan Fidler, President of the Montgomery County Taxpayers League,
eloquently stated her organization’s
opposition to the bill.
So many civics and individuals
came out to oppose the bill that the
hearing lasted well into the night.
Many thanks to our Civic Fed members and all the civics: the Twinbrook Citizens Association; Seven
Oaks Evanswood Citizens Association; Cherrywood Homeowners Association; Greater Four Corners Alliance; Maplewood Citizens Association; Chevy Chase West
Neighborhood Association; Locust
Hill Citizens’ Association; and of
course the Greater Olney Civic Association, for turning out and speaking forcefully in opposition to the
idea of a bill that would overturn our
Charter and take authority from the
people and our elected officials and
put it in the hands of a few unelected
and unaccountable insiders.
One note, one of the documents we reviewed was the
VHB/PFM
Group/McKennon
Shelton & Henn, LLP
study on the Transit Authority. The original
date on the document
which was posted was
January 2014. We have
been told by the County
Executive’s staff that
the 2014 date is a typo
that has since been corrected, and that the correct date is January
2015, and have been
asked to let people know
of that correction. We
are happy to let people
know the revised date.
(Full disclosure: we
asked for some backup
to verify the report date,
but haven’t yet received
any.) However, we wonder what the
kind of oversight the Authority itself will have if the county government doesn’t even notice the date
on the cover of its report is wrong
before the report is made public.
The story goes that when the
Constitutional Convention of 1787
had ended, a woman, Ms. Powel,
walked up to Benjamin Franklin and
asked him, “Well, Dr. Franklin,
what have we got? A Republic? Or a
Monarchy?” His response was, “A
Republic – if you can keep it.”
Can we keep it?
To my fellow civic activists,
keep an eye out.
The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect formal
positions adopted by the Federation.
To submit an 800-1,000 word column
for consideration, please send an
email attachment to [email protected].
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FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
7
NEWS
Rockville prohibits self-storage
By Rebecca Guterman
Staff Writer
ROCKVILLE –The mayor and
City Council voted 3-2 on Monday
night in favor of a zoning text
amendment that would prohibit selfstorage facilities from existing within 250 feet of a school. The vote follows a debate over children’s safety
and proximity to a potential ezStorage near Maryvale Elementary
School. The Planning Commission
recently approved the facility’s development application.
Councilmember Beryl Feinberg
proposed the measure after some
East Rockville residents and Maryvale parents objected to the ezStorage application. Although the planning commission approved the application, Feinberg said she was
inclined to look at the issue further.
Councilmember Tom Moore,
who voted against the measure, said
he did not see facts to support safety
claims. He also agreed with the applicant that the text amendment appeared to be spot zoning because it
does not affect any other properties.
He also said there was no reason to
rush because the building’s status
would not change in 30-45 days.
Prior to the meeting, representatives of ezStorage owner Siena
Corporation urged the mayor and
council to convene a workgroup before voting on the issue so they
could work something out with the
residents to lower the height of the
building and install additional sidewalks and signage.
Moore then asked if the applicant’s attorney, Bob Dalrymple,
could speak before the council about
outreach to concerned residents.
Mayor Bridget Newton did not want
the agenda item to turn into another
public hearing, but ultimately allowed Dalrymple to answer Moore’s
questions.
“There’s a piece of information
this body would like and we’re not
going to get it,” Moore said.
Dalrymple said Siena only
heard “flat-out opposition” to the
proposal and never got a response
when they called Kashi Way, one of
the residents opposed to the project.
Melissa McKenna, vice president for advocacy at the Maryvale
PTA, said she continued to ask for
something in writing from Siena so
she could bring it back to the PTA but
never received it. Without something
formal to respond to, she could not
continue speaking on behalf of the
PTA beyond their initial opposition.
She also said Siena called Way shortly before Christmas and did not make
another effort after the holidays.
But Feinberg said hearing about
this particular application continued
to make the issue seem like spot zoning, which was not her intent. She
also said the offers of a workgroup
were no longer relevant.
“There has been ample opportunity for a workgroup,” Feinberg
said. “It’s too little, too late and I
cannot further delay action on this
item.”
Resident Patrick Schoof also
said the safety concerns ranged from
a fire at one ezStorage facility to internal theft.
“We’ve become quite knowledgeable about self-storage, the industry, about how this works and
about safety of children,” Schoof
said.
Dalrymple said the fire was a
construction accident when repairing the roof of a facility and the company dealt with the theft immediately.
The mayor and council also discussed the scope of the Southlawn
Industrial Area Feasibility Study,
which emerged from residents’ concerns during the ezStorage debate.
The mayor and council decided
to include Maryvale Elementary
School and David Scull Courts in
the study as well as residential
homes along North Horners Lane
and Lincoln Street. The 2007 Lincoln Park Neighborhood Plan and
the 2004 East Rockville Neighborhood Plan both referenced a feasibility study to ease the transition between industrial and residential uses.
The mayor and council also discussed proposed changes to the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance
and Standards (APFO/APFS) after
holding two public hearings in January. The mayor and council scheduled a vote for Feb. 9 on Moore’s
proposed changes to align the city
with the county standards.
Moore has pushed for the
changes, arguing that stricter standards for the city have not helped
overcrowding in schools and have
hurt development. Newton has said
she wants to wait for county input on
the issue, a sentiment Councilmember Virginia Onley agreed with
Monday night. Onley said she wanted to have more discussions with all
stakeholders, including the county,
residents and developers.
“I don’t think Rockville is moving forward the way we need to
move forward and if we don’t do
something, we’re going to end up a
ghost town,” Onley said.
Newton said she thinks the
city’s standards prevented overcrowding that would have otherwise
occurred, even if it did not eliminate
overcrowding.
Feinberg and Councilmember
Julie Palakovich Carr, who chaired a
2011 review of the standards, did not
say where they stood on the issue.
Director of the Department of
Community Planning and Development Services Susan Swift also updated the mayor and council on
streamlining the site plan review
process. Swift said the department is
meeting with the planning commission on Feb. 11 to make sure they are
briefed as well.
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8
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
COVER STORY
County calls for transparency in filling Superintendent vacancy
“Falling Starr”
from page 1
how they’re moving forward.”
Looking forward to the hiring
process, Councilmember Hans
Reimer (D-At large) said it should
be as public as possible, with the exception of a candidate who works in
another jurisdiction and would not
apply if the proceedings were public. But even then, Reimer said the
board can make the criteria it uses
part of a public discussion.
“The problem here has been the
whole thing that happened with
Starr has taken most parents by surprise and they weren’t aware that
there was any particular problem
and many people felt that he was doing a fine job. They wake up one
day and find the board is deadlocked and he can’t get reappointed,” Reimer said. “There was never
any real public opportunity to weigh
in. It struck me the wrong way and I
think a lot of people are frustrated
that such a significant decision
could be made without any real public dialogue. It’s time to sort of acknowledge that in the hiring.”
Reimer also said he was taken
aback at the board’s decision and
hopes next time the board makes
their reasons much clearer.
“I’m surprised that he doesn’t
have the support and then I’m really
surprised that the people who are
opposing him don’t have a strong
enough reason to put out that anybody else can react to,” Reimer said.
“When I found out, it was already
over.”
In an exchange on Reimer’s
Facebook, Council President
George Leventhal (D-At large) said
the interviews need to be confidential in order to make sure the most
qualified people are willing to apply. He referenced the public’s negative reaction when they discovered
Starr was a candidate for the New
York City chancellor job late in
2013.
“If the board wants to convene
some sort of public goal-setting dialogue to hear people's input about
what they want from a superintendent, that's fine. But in the end it
will come down to an evaluation of
the specific characteristics of individuals, and that will have to occur
behind closed doors. I know there
will be people who will object to
that but it is the way most hiring decisions are made,” Leventhal wrote.
But Reimer said the public may
have a right to know a superintendent is considering leaving and it
might be okay if certain people decided not to apply because of it.
“Maybe just having openness is
better,” Reimer said. “I have to
think about that.”
Councilmember Nancy Navarro (D-4), who served on the board
prior to her election to the council in
2010, weighed in on Leventhal’s
side.
“I'm sure the BOE will welcome public input on what charac-
teristics we want in the next superintendent – that is different from a
public vetting of each candidate,”
she wrote.
Councilmember Craig Rice (D2), who chairs the education committee, said he understands the
board had the option to discuss personnel matters in closed session, but
said he chose to handle the replacement ofr former council member
Valerie Ervin in open session when
she resigned before her term was
over. “When it came to what we decided to do under my leadership as
(council president) in establishing a
new council member, we decided to
make sure all those deliberations
were public and televised,” he said.
“It’s not for me to say what (the
BOE) should have or could have
done. All I can do is talk about...as
council president how I believed we
needed to operate.”
Rice also said there are a lot of
questions about the reasons for the
board’s actions and “folks are going
to start and continue to ask questions and demand answers. We’re
going to have to see what happens.”
Frances Frost, president of the
Montgomery County Council of
Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) said she did not take issue
with the closed session, but wanted
to know the reasons for the board’s
views on Starr going into the search
for the next superintendent. Frost
said MCCPTA plans to continue to
emphasize equity in education.
“We’ve experienced a very
positive working relationship with
(Starr) and appreciated having our
parents’ perspective included in various discussions,” Frost said. “We
hope a new superintendent would be
open and welcoming.”
According to the contract the
board unanimously approved,
MCPS will give Starr compensation
and benefits through June 30,
$46,583.96 for unused leave as per
his original contract and health coverage through the end of 2015.
Metro facing continued investigation and $50 million lawsuit
“Metro”
from page 1
negligence and wrongful death
against WMATA.
Patrick Regan, whose firm
Regan Zambri Long represents the
Glover family, said electrical engineers told him the circuit breakers would trip at the first sign of
arcing.
Regan said he is puzzled that
metro officials did nothing during
those 10 minutes after the circuit
breaker had tripped.
“Once they had the breaker
trip what happened in those 10
minutes?” Regan said. “When you
realize you have a circuit that has
tripped was there any sense of urgency to realize what had caused
this? It could have been a fire,
luckily for everyone it wasn’t.”
Regan said his firm has been
unable to get a response from
WMATA and they received a letter
from WMATA’s office of risk
management saying they could not
comment because of the ongoing
NTSB investigation.
The lawsuit also states it took
WMATA officials almost 20 minutes after the circuit breaker trip to
call 911, calling four minutes after
a construction worker dialed 911
to reporting smoke emanating
from a Metro ventilation shaft located at 9th Street and Maine Avenue SW, roughly a half mile
south of the train’s location.
The Sentinel also tried to get
in touch with WMATA officials,
but officials said via email they
could not comment because the areas in question fall under the scope
of the ongoing NTSB investigation
and may be subject to litigation.
Regan said nothing is certain
as to how the lawsuit will play out
in court.
“You never know about that,
the last go-around on the June
2009 crash – that was in litigation
for four years. We were on the eve
of trial on many of those cases,”
Regan said.
Regan said currently he and
the Glover family are waiting to
get before the judge and urge her
to establish a date for the case,
which he anticipates will happen
in early March.
In the meantime Regan said
the Glover family has asked for
privacy from the media as they attempt to restore some normalcy to
their lives.
“(Glover) was a daughter, a
sister, a mother and a grandmother,” Regan said. “All those people
lost this incredibly vibrant person
in their life, she was in the peak of
her health and it was the indelible
phone call they got that everyone
dreads.”
Leggett takes a step back on plans for county independent transit authority
“Leggett”
from page 1
rapid transit routes. In the draft of
the bill, the council would approve
five of Leggett’s nominees for the
board of directors, approve the taxes
the ITA sets and approve projects on
the ITA’s agenda.
After feeling Leggett rushed
through the ITA process without
public input, Montgomery County
Civic Federation President Paula Bienenfeld said she was glad Leggett
withdrew the bill but it was important he use the right process moving
forward.
“If he does shift gears and says
we do need to have a very, very public discussion, I’m not going to have
anymore secret backroom deals or
meetings and everything from now
on is going to be transparent and include the public then yes, that would
be wonderful to see. He has some
governing choices to make about
which direction he wants to go,” she
said. “It reflected poorly not just on
Mr. Leggett but on the council and
delegation, too, that it had to come to
this.”
Delegate Shane Robinson (D39), who chairs the Montgomery
County delegation, said he had not
yet formed an opinion on the merits
of the bill, but felt the public hearing
served its purpose in letting the public air their concerns.
“It looks like the county executive is really going to slow this
down,” he said. “The county’s going
to need to engage more civic groups
and other stakeholders to get people
on board with this kind of thing and
answer the unanswered questions
about it.”
County Executive spokesperson Patrick Lacefield said the exact
methods of gathering more public
input now that Leggett asked to
withdraw the legislation are still to
be determined. He also said Leggett
did not intend to rush the bill.
“As soon as it was drafted, we
put it in. The (county executive’s)
Transit Task Force highlighted this
recommendation three years ago.
The CE highlighted it in his Inaugur-
al Dec. 1. To pursue the BRT, we
need focus and access to resources
beyond what we now have,” Lacefield said. “To wait to file was to
wait an entire year to file and at least
another six months after that before
the council could begin work (on establishing the ITA).”
On Monday, Leventhal and
Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment (T&E) Committee Chair Roger Berliner (D-1)
also announced their plans to work
through upcoming transit issues one
by one. Leventhal said the council
will first tackle the Purple Line,
which is funded by a public-private
partnership with proposals due in
March. Next, the council will figure
out how to pay for the CCT and then
plan future rapid transit routes.
Leventhal said he did not think
the ITA would be necessary for the
Purple Line because the county already has identified funding sources
nor for the CCT because the state
has been leading that project.
“We’re very open to working
with the state to identify multiple
funding sources including special
taxing authority, but you don’t require a transit authority to set up special tax districts,” Leventhal said.
“Rapid transit vehicles are a longerterm proposition. They hold great
promise. We’re very interested in
them but we honestly don’t know
how much they will cost and I have
always believed it is very difficult to
sell people on how something will
be paid for until you can tell them
how much it will cost.”
Delegate Benjamin Kramer (D19), one of the four to vote against
accepting the bill for late-filing, said
he thought Leggett made the right
decision and would hopefully work
with the delegation and residents
more in developing his proposal.
“I was very pleased to see that
he was this responsive to the community,” Kramer said. “It’s also going to be important for the executive
to have the buy-in from the county
council and the broader community
to say, ‘yeah, this is at the end of the
day where we need to go and this is
the only way we’re really going to
get where we want to be.’”
Many residents at the hearing
spoke out against the ITA’s potential
ability to establish the entire county
as a special taxing district and exempt itself from the county charter
property tax limits in section 305,
which voters established by referendum in 1990.
“The original purpose of the
charter was to take control over our
affairs from those in Annapolis and
move it here to the people. This bill
reverses that intent absolutely,” Bienenfeld said in her testimony.
“Many residents are struggling to
make ends meet and many of our
members are on a fixed income and
cannot afford another increase in
their property tax rate or additional
special taxes on their bill.”
Kramer said at the hearing he
felt hesitant to approve something
that left so much up to chance. Although he said he understood it was
enabling legislation, he likened it to
giving a student money for college
before he knew where he wanted to
go or what he wanted to study.
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
NEWS
Nationally Recognized
Youth Support Program
Implemented Locally
By Peter Rouleau
Special to The Sentinel
On May 20, 2013, Evan Rosenstock, a sophomore and athlete at
Winston Churchill High school,
took his own life as a result of depression.
In response, several Churchill
students and parents created the organization Umttr (pronounced “you
matter”) with the mission of educating students about the warning signs
of depression and sharing the message that every life matters. Umttr
has partnered with the Montgomery
County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to
bring the youth support group
Sources of Strength to four county
schools.
Founded in North Dakota in the
late 1990s, Sources of Strength
trains adult advisors and student
peer leaders to aid people in emotional distress by providing positive
support. Peer leaders serve as
“agents of change and connectors to
hope,” by encouraging students in
mental distress to seek help and
sponsoring activities and events that
bring a positive message to the community. Several school systems, universities and community centers in
the U.S. and Canada have implemented the program.
“ I hope that Sources of
Strength works just as well in our
community as it has elsewhere,”
said Stephanie Rosen, Executive Director of NAMI Montgomery County. “This program is not about shock
trauma, it’s about positive encouragement, and sharing stories of
hope, health and strength. We don’t
want students to think that suicide is
the norm for people with mental illness. We want them to know that
people can live active, healthy lives
if they have access to help.”
Last week, more than 150 peer
leaders were trained in sessions at
Springbrook, Wootton and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High Schools. A
training session will be held at Winston Churchill High School in the
near future. Teachers selected and
recommended students for participation, attempting to recruit a wide
section of the student population.
“We want every lunch table in
the school to have a peer leader,”
Rosen said. “Research shows that
students know when one of their
peers is suffering well before even a
trained adult professional does.”
“We educate students on how
they can use their voices and influence in their friendship groups to
change norms and behaviors and
promote hope-seeking behaviors,”
said Daniel Adams, a national trainer for Sources of Strength, who led
the training session at BethesdaChevy Chase High School. “We
know that young people will tell
each other that they’re suffering and
often ask them not to tell anyone
else, so we hope to break those codes
of secrecy and silence.”
“I came because I know a lot of
people at the school who suffer with
mental illness,” said Bobbi Nathan,
a B-CC junior who attended the
training session. “There’s this huge
stigma that you don’t say anything
about it, you should just push
through it, when really nothing’s going to get better that way. I think that
we as a student body can really make
a difference here, and this a great
way to train us to do that.”
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9
Some say MCPS too slow
By Peter Rouleau
Special to Sentinel
ROCKVILLE – Some involved
in a workgroup set up to address
problems of sex abuse in public
schools say MCPS is moving too
slowly to handle the problem
On Monday, the County Council’s Education Committee received
a briefing on a report issued by
Montgomery County Public
Schools’ Child Abuse and Neglect
Work Group. Board of Education
President Patricia O’Neill and
MCPS Chief of Staff Andrew Zuckerman presented the report, which issues several recommendations for
developing a systemic approach to
responding to suspected abuse of students. Montgomery County Police
Chief J. Thomas Manger, assistant
Chief Russ Hamill, Capt. Jim
Humphries of the Special Victims Investigation Division and associate
State’s Attorney Debbie Feinstein attended the briefing. Superintendent
Joshua Starr did not attend.
The report’s 28 recommendations are spread across six key strategic priority areas:
1. Revise the BOE policy and
MCPS regulation on recognizing and
reporting child abuse and neglect and
update them on a regular basis to reflect current practices in the area and
ensure efficient collaboration with
County partner agencies;
2. Enhance human resource
management systems and processes
to ensure robust screening of new
and existing employees, volunteers,
and outside contractors;
3. Design and implement updated training for all employees in accordance with the most current practices for identifying and reporting
child abuse and neglect;
4. Develop a comprehensive
parent awareness program for how to
identify and respond to suspected
cases of child abuse or neglect;
5. Ensure the MCPS curriculum
contains robust student learning opportunities across all grade levels in
abuse prevention and reporting;
6. Communicate regularly to
students, parents, and the wider community about issues associated with
child abuse and neglect.
Some of those involved with the
work group, while glad to see MCPS
taking steps to address the problem,
have expressed frustration with the
slow pace of the efforts and said the
recommendations are inadequate.
Jennifer Alvaro, a clinical social
worker who has worked in providing
treatment to convicted sex offenders,
said she was alarmed by media reports of numerous cases of sexual
abuse reported in MCPS, which two
of her children attend. She could not
find any existing regulations for reporting suspected abuse in the MCPS
guidelines. Alvaro said her letters
and phone calls to Starr and the BOE
played an integral role in leading to
the formation of the work group,
which began meeting regularly last
summer.
“At the meetings, I kept saying
‘Where’s the police? Where’s Child
Protective Services? This is not an issue that MCPS can or should handle
alone, bring in the legal agencies,’”
Alvaro said. “They finally invited the
police to the December work group
meeting. I’m encouraged that they’re
finally looking at this issue, but I’m
not comfortable with the way it’s unfolding. I think there’s been a lack of
transparency. In theory, most of the
plan could work, but the devil’s in
the details and the report is so
vague.”
Alvaro called for an outside independent investigation into reported incidents of sexual abuse in
MCPS.
“Who kept (Bethesda-Chevy
Chase teacher) Larry Flynn in the
classroom after it was clear that he
was distributing kiddie porn while
wearing an MCPS badge?” Alvaro
said. “I don’t have reason to believe
that MCPS has more offenders than
other organizations, but I do believe
that this culture they’ve created of
secrecy and denial and of trying to
handle everything in-house has allowed the abuse to continue. In this
age of Penn State, the Catholic
Church, and the Boy Scouts, there’s
absolutely no excuse for any of this.”
Susan Birkenstock, co-chair of
the Montgomery County Council of
Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) served as the MCCPTA representative on the work group.
“I think it was premature to present the report,” Birkenstock said. “It
was not vetted by the work group,
and there are no references, no empirical data to support the recommendations. When is a Montgomery
County high school student allowed
to turn in a paper without references?”
Birkenstock said there is a lack
of clearly defined guidelines in
MCPS directing employees to contact CPS about suspected abuse as
mandated by law.
“We need to have an employee
code of conduct,” Birkenstock said.
“We need to have all these things
clearly spelled out. If you look at the
Howard County school system, their
child abuse policy is pretty robust.
The only behavior guidelines we have
right now are in the union contract.”
Birkenstock said she feared
MCPS’ lack of clear policies for dealing with suspected abuse may have
made them a target for predators.
“Many people have been in the
school system so long that they have
not had the criminal background
check,” Birkenstock. “Child sexual
abuse is a crime of opportunity.
There are websites out there that direct pedophiles to easy prey. Some of
them may be recommending us.”
The report and recommendations are available online at
http://www.montgomerycountymd.g
ov/council/Resources/Files/agenda/c
m/2015/150202/20150202_ED2.pdf
Gay rights group objects to Hogan move
By Peter Rouleau
Special to The Sentinel
ANNAPOLIS – On Jan. 22
Governor Larry Hogan issued his
first Executive Order, “Standards of
Conduct for Executive Branch Employees and Reporting of Misconduct,” which directed employees to
adhere to all applicable laws and
regulations that provide equal opportunity for all Marylanders.
Equality Maryland, the state’s
largest LGBT rights advocacy organization, expressed disappointment
the order did not contain language
about gender identity, despite the
legislature’s passing of the Fairness
for All Marylanders Act in 2014,
which amended the state’s anti-discrimination law to include gender
identity.
Hogan also withdrew proposed
amendments to update the regulations that prohibit discrimination on
the part of Medicaid providers to include gender identity.
“We are disappointed in the
governor’s actions,” Carrie Evans,
executive director of Equality Maryland, said in a statement on Jan. 22.
“To withdraw a regulation that prohibits discrimination which also has
no fiscal impact seems contrary to
the spirit of inclusiveness touted in
his inauguration speech yesterday.
We know that trans people in Maryland face discrimination when ac-
cessing health care and we should be
working to ensure this doesn’t happen instead of overtly condoning it.”
The following day, Hogan re-issued the executive order to include
gender identity and his office announced that they were still reviewing the proposed Medicaid amendment.
“We are very pleased that we
got the attention of his office and
that he made these changes relatively quickly,” Evans said.
Evans said that Equality Maryland will focus on passing several
bills regarding the rights of samesex couples and transgender individuals during the current legislative
session.
10
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
NEWS
County to do new feasibility study on Blair-Ewing Center
By Rebecca Guterman
Staff Writer
ROCKVILLE – The County
Council’s Education Committee told
Montgomery County Public Schools
to conduct two feasibility studies for
the future of the Blair G. Ewing Center after expressing doubts about
MCPS’s relocation proposal. The
committee’s decision follows
months of community opposition to
the plan and process.
During the meeting on Jan. 29
the committee called for MCPS to
conduct one feasibility study for renovations to the Ewing Center site on
Avery Road and one for moving the
alternative education programs to another site. MCPS had wanted the
committee to reallocate $16.6 million – originally for renovating the
current Ewing site – to renovating
the old English Manor elementary
school.
Out of the $16.6 million allocation, MCPS already set aside $1.5
million to begin design planning,
which is enough for the two feasibility studies, according to MCPS Department of Facilities Management
Director James Song.
Residents from the affected areas also came out before the committee meeting to rally against MCPS’s
request, but Jamison Adcock, vice
president of the Aspen Hill Civic Association, said he was satisfied with
the committee’s action.
“We’ll get real information, not
just guess work on the part of people
in the Montgomery County Public
Schools system. We can’t address
their guesses, they’re based on what?
We don’t know. But now we’re going
to get feasibility studies so that’s the
first step,” Adcock said.
The community rallied in part
around a 2013 feasibility study looking at three options for renovating
the Ewing Center in its current building and board comments praising the
current program shortly before the
superintendent recommended using
the funds for the English Manor site
instead.
Outside consultants conducted
that feasibility study in 2013, but
then MCPS took a new look at the
design of the alternative education
programs overall from fall 2013 into
early 2014. The superintendent then
suggested using English Manor
based on the needs of the new program, which would focus on personalized and more flexible teaching
strategies.
Song said the $16.6 million
should be more than enough to renovate and expand the English Manor
building from about 50,000 square
feet to 70,000-75,000 square feet at a
cost of $230-$235 per renovated
square foot and $250 per new square
foot.
But committee members said
MCPS needs an updated feasibility
study for the current building based
on the program redesign before
plowing ahead with another site.
Councilmember Nancy Navarro (D4) said she recognizes the issues of
stigma and desire to best serve the alternative education students but
wants to make sure that is what this
renovation would do.
“The fact of the matter is English Manor is not going to be a new
school, it’s going to have to be completely remodeled and I have not
seen the feasibility study under this
new program for example to understand clearly what would happen,”
Navarro said. “For me it’s not about
‘we don’t want to give our students
the best possible facility.’ For me, it’s
about ‘have we done the feasibility
study that we need to do under this
new direction of this new program?
Do we have enough data to know
that the program is going to actually
work?’”
Ewing Center Principal Ira
Thomas said he had been pushing
for the move to English Manor because the current pod configuration
limits the architectural flexibility
and carries a stigma that hurts the
students.
But he said he did not have a
problem with the committee’s decision.
“We should use all the data possible that shows a comparison. (The
council members) represent the citizens of Montgomery County and
they’ve got to make sure ...to make
an informed decision and I think by
having two feasibility studies
brought back before, I think that’s
reasonable,” Thomas said.
But Thomas said he still felt the
English Manor site would be benefi-
cial because the architects for the
2013 feasibility study told him about
the limitations of the current building. He said the latest research recommends clear pathways for supervision. Thomas also gave the example of a technology education lab
that is currently too small for students to properly use equipment.
“Because it’s a pod structure, it
has a lot of low-bearing walls and the
architects told us you’re not going to
be able to do much with this building,” Thomas said. “When my associate superintendent Dr. (Christopher) Garran advised me about English Manor, I jumped for joy.”
Thomas also worried about the
stigma of keeping the students in the
current building. But Navarro said
that speaks to a broader issue of how
the school system treats alternative
education students regardless of the
building.
In a February 2014 memo from
Starr to the Board of Education, students surveyed commented on the
current alternative education program, saying they wanted small
classes, more challenging work, AP
classes, clubs and teams like “a normal school” and more freedom.
“(Alternative education students) just act bad when everyone
thinks they will be bad,” one student
wrote.
The future of the Ewing Center
is further complicated by plans to relocate the Shady Grove bus depots
on Crabbs Branch Way to the current
Ewing Center site on Avery Road.
MCPS has to vacate the bus depots
by January 2017 to make way for
county redevelopment.
Some who live near the Ewing
Center said they much prefer the
school to be there rather than hundreds of buses turning out onto Avery Road.
“I’m concerned about safety.
Avery Road is a two lane winding
country road with no shoulders, absolutely none, and when I encounter
a school bus now I have to virtually
come to a stop,” said resident Brenda Vaughan at the rally before the
committee meeting. “I can’t fathom
the amount of traffic.”
The community has also voiced
concerns because the bus depot currently fits 410 buses onto 35 acres
and is already a little too small, according to Song. Song said MCPS
would design efficiently to try to fit
370 buses on the 22.5 acre Ewing
Center site, more than six acres of
which is protected by a conservation
easement. Also on the site is the
Mark Twain Athletic Fields, which
the city of Rockville maintains and
uses outside of school hours.
Committee Chair Craig Rice
(D-2) said he views the bus depot
and the Ewing Center relocations as
two separate issues. Councilmembers Navarro and Marc Elrich (D-At
large) said the two are intertwined.
“We can’t not know what we
know,” Elrich said.
The full council still has to vote
on the change to make the mandate
for two feasibility studies official.
FEATURES
Late night workouts for some mean late hours for others who work nite owl
By Peter Rouleau
Special to the Sentinel
Editor’s note: This is the first in
a series of features focused on County residents who work from dusk till
dawn and the establishments which
employ and serve them.
ROCKVILLE – At 11:00 on
Tuesday night, while most county
residents are sleeping or getting into
bed, Brandon Cornejo is just starting
his working day. He’s a front desk attendant for the overnight shift at
Rockville’s Planet Fitness in Federal
Plaza, the national franchise of fitness
centers famous for its sponsorship of
the reality series “The Biggest Loser.” Planet Fitness operates several
24-7 hour locations in Montgomery
County. The gym offers various
types of exercise equipment such as
treadmills, exercise bikes and
weights as well as fitness classes.
“It’s nice and quiet,” said
Cornejo, who has held the job for
about three months. “You meet interesting people. The other night I
had two drunk guys come in and fall
asleep in the hydro massage beds. I
tried to wake them up for about 10
minutes, then I just gave up. Eventually, one of my co-workers came in
and threw them out.”
Cornejo said most of the members he sees regularly on the graveyard shift are younger construction
workers and government employees.
Planet Fitness advertises itself
as a “judgment-free zone” open to
exercisers of all types.
“We want to create a comfortable environment so that anyone can
come and work out here,” Cornejo
said. “We don’t have power lifters
bench pressing 200 pounds and
making you feel small and weak.”
In that same spirit, the wall in
the weight lifting area is outfitted
with a loud “Lunk Alarm” which is
sounded in case any lifter is being
overly dramatic or aggressive.
Cornejo typically works out for
about two hours once his shift ends.
He plans to certify as a personal
trainer this summer and is saving
money to eventually earn a college
degree in kinesiology. He said he enjoys the job but the work schedule
interferes with his social life.
“During the day is when you
normally have a social life, but I’m
sleeping,” Cornejo said.
Many Planet Fitness members
appreciate the convenience of being
able to work out at any time. Meatta
Esse, a server at the nearby
Rockville Silver Diner, frequently
comes to the gym after working
closing shifts.
“When I get off work, I have a
lot of energy,” Esse said. “When you
go at that time, it’s not very busy, all
Got News? Tell Us About It!
the machines are available, and I really like that.”
Jonathan Flores and Stephen
Campbell, co-workers at the Olney
Safeway, also said they enjoy being
able to exercise after working late.
“It’s convenient, there’s not a
huge crowd here, even the roads are
wide open,” said Flores, who has
been a member for several years. “I
typically do 35 minutes of cardio,
then weights afterward.”
“I go to class at Montgomery
College in the morning, then have
some study time, then work the late
shift,” Campbell said. “It’s very convenient to be able to come in here at
11:30 and get some cardio and lifting in.”
Fatima Fofana, who works the
front desk graveyard shift on Cornejo’s nights off, said she likes the relaxed nature of the job.
“It’s pretty quiet, that’s why I
like it,” Fofana said. “I get most of
Call (301) 306-9500
what I need to do done by 1:00, and
then I’m just checking in people all
night.”
Fofana, who lives in Germantown, also works as a manager at
café in Rockville six days a week.
“My social life is non-existent
and it’s hard on my sleep schedule,”
Fofana said. “I’m trying to get a car
and my own apartment, so that’s
why I do this.”
Planet Fitness offers basic nocommitment “White card” memberships for $10 per month. “Black
card” memberships, which entitle
holders to additional privileges such
as bringing guests and use of the
massage spa area, cost $29 per
month.
Planet Fitness also has locations on Wisteria Drive in Germantown and New Hampshire Avenue
Northeast in Silver Spring and hopes
to open in Washington, D.C. in the
near future.
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
11
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
STATE NEWS
Chesapeake Bay continues to show improvements
By Katelyn Newman
Capital News Service
ANNAPOLIS -- While oyster
and striped bass populations are on
the rise in the Chesapeake Bay,
crab populations continue to fall,
and the water body may take
decades to show signs of a strong
recovery, according to a report released Tuesday by a coalition of
governments, environmental organizations and researchers.
The 2013-2014 Bay Barometer is an annual overview of the
health of the Chesapeake, prepared
by the Chesapeake Bay Program,
which includes federal and state
agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations and academic
institutions.
Between 2013 and 2014, the
spawning-age female crab population fell from 147 million to 64.5
million, a 53 percent decline, according to the report.
While it could be climate
change, habitat conditions or
predators, the crab decline does not
yet have a clear cause, said Bruce
Vogt, manager of Ecosystem Science and Synthesis for NOAA’s
Chesapeake Bay Office. Vogt said
that even with a 10 percent decrease in crabbing across the bay,
populations have been markedly
declining.
Despite other ongoing challenges like population growth, climate change and delayed effects of
improvement measures, the bay
overall is in recovery, Chesapeake
Bay Program officials said Tuesday.
This year’s grade of D+ is an improvement over last year’s D- mark.
A large-scale oyster restoration project set in place in 2010 has
been highly successful, said Vogt,
and oysters are seeing a 92 percent
survival rate in Maryland, according to the Bay Barometer.
Established in 2010, the Bay’s
Total Maximum Daily Load, otherwise known as its “pollution diet,”
stretches across six states -- New
York, Pennsylvania, Maryland,
Delaware, West Virginia and Virginia -- and the District of Columbia and regulates pollution of local
streams and rivers within the watershed.
It ensures the seven jurisdictions reach all designated pollution
controls by 2025, with 60 percent
achieved by 2017, according to the
EPA.
“It could be almost 10 years
before you actually see the positive
impacts that result from the reduction in pollution,” said Nick DiPasquale, director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
Chesapeake Bay Program, “(but)
our conclusion is that we are witnessing a system in recovery.”
Nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution in wastewater is
decreasing, but efforts to reduce
overall nutrient pollution are lagging behind the goals set out by the
EPA, said Rich Batiuk, associate
director for science for the Chesapeake Bay Program.
“Efforts to reduce nutrient and
sediment pollution from urban
streets, farm fields and onsite septic systems are lagging behind,” according to the report.
It takes time to see the effects
of wastewater treatment and to educate farmers on better nutrient management practices, Batiuk said.
Although Gov. Larry Hogan
halted new phosphorous-control
regulations last month, Maryland
must still reach its federal nutrientpollution goals by 2017 and 2025,
DiPasquale said Tuesday.
“We probably will not see
achievement with the water quality
standards by 2025 -- we will have
all of the improvement measures in
place to treat water pollution, but
we probably won’t see the results
by 2025,” said DiPasquale.
County considers ban on selling puppies and other pets from puppy mills
By Rebecca Guterman
Staff Writer
ROCKVILLE--The County
Council’s Public Safety Committee
will consider a bill today that would
prohibit pet stores from selling dogs
or cats unless they are from an animal care facility or rescue organization.
Currently, there are no pets
stores under county jurisdiction that
sell dogs or cats, but it would be
prohibiting any such stores from
coming in the future. There is one
such store in the city of Rockville,
but that is under the city’s jurisdiction, according to Leventhal.
“For many families, bringing a
pet into their home is like adding a
family member that will be with
them for many years. Bringing
home a puppy or kitten that was obtained from a puppy mill increases
the risk that the family pet will also
bring endless health and behavioral
problems,” Leventhal said. “By taking action such as is proposed in this
bill, we are trying to protect people
who get their pets from Montgomery County pet stores and may
not have considered where their pet
came from.”
Currently, Maryland law does
not prohibit pet stores from selling
dogs from so-called “puppy mills,”
which the American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA) defines as a "large-scale
commercial dog breeding operation
where profit is given priority over
the well-being of the dogs."
Maryland law does require pet
retailers to post information about
the dog and dealer on every dog’s
cage in a store.
According to the analyst packet for the committee, constituents
overwhelmingly supported the
measure out of concern for the puppies’ living conditions and health.
Organizations in support included
Puppy Mill Rescue Support Group,
Humane Society of the United
States, Montgomery County Humane Society, and Best Friends Animal Society.
“Montgomery County pet store
customers should not be duped into
unwittingly supporting the cruel
puppy mill industry, and into buying
puppies exposed to the unique set of
physical and behavioral problems
created by such a substandard upbringing. Montgomery County residents should no longer have to accept the importation of puppies
from puppy mills into the county
while their tax dollars are spent
sheltering and euthanizing dogs for
which there are no homes,” wrote
Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO
of the Humane Society of the United States.
Other organizations, such as
the Pet Industry Joint Advisory
Council, MD Association of Pet Industries, VCA - North Rockville
Animal Hospital, and America's Pet
Registry, said they opposed the bill
because this is an issue that should
be regulated at the state and federal
levels for consistency.
“We are here to present facts, to
support the small business owners
whose livelihood is threatened by
this legislation, and to defend the
right to 'pet choice' for the citizens
of Montgomery County,” wrote Pet
Industry Joint Advisory Council in
their testimony.
A veterinarian also said she had
not seen negative health effects any
more in puppy mill animals than animals from other places.
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12
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
STATE NEWS
Mandated sick leave draws crowds and controversy
Maryland Healthy Working Families Act calls for earned sick and safe leave
By Grace Toohey
Capital News Service
ANNAPOLIS -- The Maryland
Healthy Working Families Act
would mandate Maryland employers
provide employees earned sick and
safe leave, which advocates say
would improve the workplace, the
economy and public health, but opponents criticize as "one size does
not fit all."
More than 100 people from
across the state joined the state’s
Senate Finance Committee -- many
overflowing beyond the packed
hearing room -- to weigh in on the
potential impact of mandating paid
sick leave Tuesday afternoon.
“There are over 700,000 Marylanders every day who get up and go
to work and don’t have earned sick
leave,” the bill's sponsor, state Senator Catherine Pugh, D-Baltimore,
said. She hopes to change those numbers because, she said, the opportuni-
ty for sick leave is necessary for
working families.
The bill calls on employers to
grant one hour of sick leave for every
30 hours worked, but it exempts
those with fewer than 10 employees.
Pugh said this bill helps people with
families suffering from any illness,
or even domestic violence or sexual
assault, while it also provides a protection process for abuse of the policy.
“At the end of the day it’s going
to be up to this body to decide
whether our workplaces should reflect the reality of today’s working
families,” testified Melissa Broome,
who works for Maryland workers’
advocacy group Job Opportunities
Task Force. “We all get sick, our kids
get sick.”
Similar bills came to the committee in 2013 and 2014, but,
Broome said, with the new exclusion
of small businesses with nine employees or fewer, this year’s bill will
only apply to 25 percent of businesses in the state.
But for many opposing the bill,
this mandate will just add more business costs, which are becoming overwhelming in conjunction with the
state’s minimum wage law and the
Affordable Care Act, said Lisa Benson, staffing director for Mary Kraft
Staffing and HR Solutions in Hunt
Valley.
State Senator Stephen Hershey,
R-Caroline, Cecil, Queen Anne’s and
Kent, said he was concerned it would
give companies another reason to
leave Maryland. He also questioned
how the legislation might offer too
many openings for employees to take
off under the qualification of sick
leave, he said.
Pugh emphasized, however, that
this bill is not anti-business. With
earned sick leave, businesses should
save money because workers are
more productive and aren’t infecting
their co-workers, she said.
But for many opponents, it wasn’t the idea of employers providing
paid sick days -- it was the fact that
the government will be taking away
their control over paid time off.
“Regardless it’s a business decision that a company chooses to
make,” said Leonardo McClarty,
president of the Howard County
Chamber of Commerce. “One size
does not fit all.”
For state senator Joanne Benson, D-Prince George’s, the bill
seemed like common sense, because
with her background in education,
she said, she has seen how one sick
child can affect a whole school.
“What about the children? What
about the parents?” Benson said.
“Think about that for a moment.”
Xaviour Walker, a doctor at
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, characterized it as a
public health issue. When patients
don’t catch a sickness early because
they continue to work, the illness
only gets worse, he said.
“We need to support these people, because paid sick leave is preventative medicine,” Walker said.
Doreen Hicks of Baltimore
County works as a janitor, and she
came to testify because this legislation could change her life, she said.
She works hard and enjoys her job,
she said, but she needs earned sick
time.
“As it is now, when you get sick,
you just have to work,” Hicks said.
“It impacts your work, there’s no
time to rest and recover. This is will
have a direct and positive impact on
my family’s well-being.”
Paid, earned sick leave is among
President Barack Obama’s latest initiatives. His plan would allow Americans to earn up to seven days of sick
leave each year, according to a White
House fact sheet.
“This is not just an issue here in
Maryland, this is an issue around the
country,” Pugh said.
Maryland budget balanced on “backs of students”
By Deidre McPhillips
Capital News Service
ANNAPOLIS -- State legislators and education heavy-hitters
gathered at the Maryland State Education Association headquarters in
Annapolis Tuesday, rallying for the
reversal of Gov. Larry Hogan's proposed $144 million cuts to public
education funding.
“The budget is being balanced
on the backs of our students,” said
Betty Weller, president of the Maryland State Education Association.
A 50 percent cut to the geographic cost of education index, a
state formula that provides additional spending to some jurisdictions
where the cost of education is more
expensive, results in a loss of $68
million.
The governor’s Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2015
would reduce the funding per pupil
by an additional $94 statewide and
cut grants based on localities’ tax
revenue by $12 million, if approved
by the General Assembly.
In a constricted financial environment, Hogan’s proposed budget
increases overall spending for public
schools by $45.3 million, to $6.1 billion for fiscal year 2016. Much of
the increase is coming from funding
for school construction.
Hogan is “open to suggestions
from outside groups and from legislators on how to keep education the
No. 1 priority for Maryland,” said
Erin Montgomery, Hogan’s press
secretary. But before making
changes, he would have to see a proposal on how to make up for the cuts
in a tight budget, she said Tuesday.
A plan for how to fully refund
the proposed cuts has not yet been
reached, said House Appropriations
Committee Chairwoman Maggie
McIntosh, D-Baltimore, but the
money would have to come from
cuts to other departments or transfers of funds from other departments
or the state’s contingency fund.
The decision to do either lies
with the governor, as state legislators
can only cut or restrict funds in the
budget that the governor proposes.
House Speaker Michael Busch,
D-Anne Arundel, said at the meeting
that the proposed cuts are not only
detrimental to the progress made in
education, but to the “structure of
life” in Maryland. A well-educated
population is critical to a productive
workforce and functioning state, he
said.
Also leading the charge were
state Senator Nancy King, D-Montgomery, Senate chair of the Montgomery County delegation; and state
Senator Joan Carter Conway, D-Baltimore, chair of the Education,
Health and Environmental Affairs
Committee.
Especially troubling to many
Tuesday were the long-term implications of the proposed budget.
Public schools would get $600
million less than anticipated in long-
term projections over the next four
years due to Hogan’s proposed caps
on inflation rates, according to the
Maryland Education Association. A
formula that follows the presumed
rate of inflation -- which Hogan
plans to restrict -- drives the growth
in per-pupil funding each year.
McIntosh cited the state constitution’s first charge of a “thorough
and efficient system of free public
schools.” She said that though
Hogan’s budget does not violate the
state constitution, it is a tear at the
system’s safety net.
In a lawsuit filed against the
Maryland State Board of Education
in 1994, a Baltimore City Circuit
Court judge ruled that the city’s public schoolchildren were not receiving constitutionally adequate education. Following the court ruling, the
General Assembly passed the Bridge
to Excellence in Public Schools act
in 2002, which phased in a funding
plan over the next six years. When
the law expired in fiscal year 2008,
per pupil funding remained flat.
“We can’t leave an entire generation of students behind, waiting for
someone to file (another) lawsuit,”
said Busch.
Effects of the cuts for each jurisdiction are presented on a website
called “Don’t Shortchange Maryland,” launched Tuesday by the
Maryland State Education Association (http://dontshortchangemaryland.com/). Facts and figures show
the dollar amounts each county,
PHOTO COURTESY OF CNS NEWS SERVICE
Supporters show up to talk about the stateʼs budget
school and classroom will lose if the
budget passes as it is proposed, as
well as the number of teacher and
support staff positions at risk. A short
online petition form calls Marylanders to action with a few clicks.
In terms of overall dollars,
Prince George’s and Montgomery
counties and Baltimore City bear the
brunt of the cuts, poised to deal with
about 60 percent of the total reductions, according to the Maryland
State Education Association’s calcu-
Check out our web site www.thesentinel.com
lations.
“We need to make sure that not
only the loudest voices are made to
count,” said Maryland ParentTeacher Association President Ray
Leone. “Different counties are facing
different challenges, and it’s like a
tightrope walk to balance priorities.”
Legislators have been open to
discussion, said Leone, and the Parent-Teacher Association is in a “wait
and see” mode as their representatives work out a plan.
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
Whatʼs happening this week in Montgomery County
C
13
ALENDAR
FEB. 5
BLANKET MAKING VOLUNTEERING
Feb. 5. 10a.m.-9p.m. Montgomery County Association for Family & Community Education
(MCAFCE) needs volunteers to make blankets for
sick and needy children. Knit, crochet or quilt. Yard
and fabric are provided. Donations of acrylic yarn
and fabric are gratefully being accepted. For directions or more information, please call Pat at (301)
460-5451. Extension Office, 18410 Muncaster Rd.,
Derwood, MD 20855.
EXHIBITION: “A POINT IN TIME”: PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKS BY RONALD BEVERLY
Feb. 5. – Feb. 28. Emphasizing texture and detail, Ronald Beverly’s images capture the elusive
quality of light and reveal a sensibility that is clearly
inspired by the masters of large format photography.
Without losing sight of the essential qualities, this
mid-career photographer seizes the opportunity to
refine his vision by embracing the technological advancements of photography and digital imaging.
Price: Free. Location: BlackRock Center for the
Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown,
MD 20874. On Saturday, February 7, the public is
invited to a Meet the Artist Reception from 2:00 –
5:00pm. Ronald Beverly will deliver an informal
Artist Talk during the reception. It is free to attend
the reception and to view the exhibition. Saturday,
February 7 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. INFORMATION:
301.528.2260 or www.blackrockcenter.org
FEB. 6
IN-PERSON WORKSHOP AT MARYLAND
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Feb. 6. 9 a.m. to noon, Lynwood Shackelford of
the Washington-Baltimore Suburban Press Network
will show participants how to get advertisers, maximize layout, avoid spam filters AND get readers to
open and click e-newsletters. 60 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
MDDC members $75; non-members $85 (continental breakfast provided). Phone & Fax: 855-7216332
FEB. 7
ART EXHIBIT AT BLACKROCK AND ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES
Feb. 7. 2:00pm to 3:00pm, FREE. The public is
invited to experience calligraphy, brush painting,
and paper casting demonstrations by local artists
Kit-Keung Kan, Freda Lee-McCann, and In-soon
Shin in conjunction with their exhibit “Transformations of Brush and Paper.” Free and open to the public. Following the Artist Demonstrations (2-3pm), a
Meet the Artists Reception (3–5pm) will be held.
MEET THE ARTISTS RECEPTION
Feb. 7. 3:00pm to 5:00pm, FREE. The public is
invited to a reception to meet local artists Kit-Keung
Kan, Freda Lee-McCann, and In-soon Shin whose
work is featured in the exhibition “Transformations
of Brush & Paper,” an installation exploring new directions in Asian brush art, which will be on view in
the Main Gallery at BlackRock Center for the Arts
from February 5 through February 28, 2015. Free
and open to the public.
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY TAMBURITZANS
Feb. 7. 7 p.m. America's premier folk ensemble
presents exciting music, songs, and dances of Eastern Europe and neighboring cultures. Founded in
1937, the Duquesne University Tamburitzans is the
longest running live stage show in the United States.
February 5, 2015 – February 11, 2015
Tickets: $36 adult; $33 senior (62 and older) and
student with ID. Learn more at
www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre or (240) 314-8690. F.
Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville Civic Center
Park at 603 Edmonston Dr., Rockville, MD.
REBELS WITH A CAUSE SCREENING
Feb. 7. 8 p.m. Academy Award-winning actress
Frances McDormand narrates the story of savvy activists who – despite reversals, diversions and disappointments – persist in their mission for more than
twenty years and foster a national movement to preserve open spaces, and shape the environmental
movement of today. The fight begins in the 1950s
with a small group of ranchers, farmers, conservationists, politicians from both parties, widows, volunteers, and other ordinary citizens in Northern California who band together to protect lands adjacent
to urban areas from San Francisco's rampant development in order to preserve them for public recreation. But what begins as a regional effort evolves
into a decades-long battle for many of America's
seashores. It's a fight to preserve something important to all Americans – our public lands. And it's a
fight that goes all the way to the White House.
Twice. So how did they do it? A panel discussion
will follow the screening. TIckets are $5. For more
information call (240) 912-1058 or visit blackrockcenter.org. BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901
Town Commons Dr., Germantown, MD.
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY'S TAMBURITZANS
Feb. 7. 7-9 p.m. America's premier folk ensemble presents music, songs and dances of Eastern at
the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at Rockville Civic
Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive. Ensemble
members come from across the world, offering their
talents and lifetimes of experience. Founded in
1937, Tamburitzans is the longest running live stage
show in the United States.
FEB. 8
WINE TASTING AND DOGS - A GREAT
COMBINATION!
Feb. 8. 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. MCHS's second annual
Wagging For Wines $25 per person. Here's a great
way for pet-loving wine drinkers (and their pooches
-- dogs attend free!) to help our homeless, fourlegged friends. You'll sample wines, enjoy small
bites and sweet treats. Silent auction items include
tickets to sporting events and shows, an Android
tablet and a Coach handbag. Treats for your pooch
as well! The Winery at Olney 18127 Town Center
Drive (Fair Hill Shopping Center) Olney, MD
20832
ILO ILO
Feb. 8. 10 a.m., doors open at 9:30a.m. Set in
Singapore, "Ilo Ilo" chronicles the relationship between a family of three and their newly arrived Filipino maid, Teresa, who has come like many Filipino women in search of a better life. The entire
family needs to adapt to the presence of this
stranger, which further threatens their already
strained relationship. Still, Teresa and Jiale, the
young and troublesome boy she cares for, soon form
a bond. Their unique connection continues to develop and she soon becomes an unspoken part of the
family. But this is 1997 and the Asian Financial Crisis is starting to be felt in the region. $15 includes
post-screening discussion, coffee and bagels. For
more information, visit cinemaartbethesda.org or
call (301) 365-3679. Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema, 7235 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, MD.
WIDOWED PERSONS SERVICE
Feb. 8. 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. The Widowed Persons
Service of Montgomery County will host its "second Sunday of the month meeting" with Ms. Paula
brary events and information call 240-773-9460.
FAITH COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP
(FCWG) JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING: OPEN TO PUBLIC
Feb. 12. 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Please join us as we
discuss our ongoing and future FCWG initiatives.
Snacks will be provided but please feel free to bring
your own dinner. WHERE: The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), 6101 Executive Blvd.
North Bethesda, MD 20852. Email
[email protected] for more information.
UPCOMING
COURTESY PHOTO
The Winery at Olney hosts second annual Wagging for Wines event for petloving wine drinkers.
Rogers and Mr. Phil Wystein to talk about the
SOAR (Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation)
program offered by Montgomery County's Department of Recreation. This is an opportunity for all
widowed persons to socialize and then hear a presentation that may have bearing on their lives. A
contribution of $ 4 is suggested. For more information, call the WPS office at (301) 949-7398.
Wheaton Library, 11701 Georgia Ave., Wheaton,
MD.
SPAGHETTI DINNER
Feb. 8. 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Come join the Montgomery Council 2323 of the Knights of Columbus
for a spaghetti dinner. The cost is $10 for adults, $7
for children 7 to 13 and free for kids 6 and under.
For more information, call (301) 330-5970. 17001
Overhill Rd., Derwood, MD 20855.
SYMPHONY OF THE POTOMAC
Feb. 8. 3 p.m. Joel Lazar directs the orchestra in
Mozart: Symphony No. 31, "Paris", Haydn: Symphony No. 82, "The Bear" and Beethoven: Symphony No. 5. Tickets are $15 - $20 and $5 for those under 18 as well as students and faculty at Montgomery College. For more information, call (301)
984-6390 or visit www.symphonypotomac.org.
Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center, 7995
Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910.
ANNUAL JAZZ CONCERT
Feb. 8. 3 p.m. Rockville Concert Band presents
its annual jazz concert with the Guest Ensemble
Rockville Swing Band. No tickets required, $5 suggested donation. Learn more at
www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre or (240) 314-8690. F.
Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville Civic Center
Park at 603 Edmonston Dr., Rockville, MD.
FEB. 10
TINY TOTS VALENTINES CELEBRATION
Feb. 10. 10 a.m.- noon Come in your cutest red
to play, make crafts and sample light refreshments.
Ages 5 and under, $2 per child; current membership
or day passes for adult ($6 for Rockville residents /
$8 for non-residents, at the door). Preregister using
course #49103. Thomas Farm Community Center,
700 Fallsgrove Drive.
TUESDAY TOPICS: MARYLAND WILD
ACRES
Feb. 10. 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Maryland’s Wild
Acres is a voluntary program encouraging Maryland citizens to create backyard wildlife habitats,
which can include decks, yards, large lots, and
everything in between. Such habitats can increase
food and shelter for wildlife, control soil erosion, reduce sediment in waterways, conserve water, improve water quality, inspire stewardship and beautify the landscape. The goal of the Wild Acres program is to create backyard habitats across the State
that maximize wildlife benefits and highlight conservation stewardship. Speaker: Kerry Wixted,
Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service, Department of Natural Resources. Admission is $5. For
more information, call (301) 258-6160 or email [email protected]. Gaithersburg Community Museum, 9 South Summit Ave., Gaithersburg,
MD 20877.
FEB. 11
HARP HAPPY! PLAYS LOVE SONGS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Feb. 11. 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. In celebration of Library
Lovers’ month, Harp Happy! a quartet of Celtic
harpers will play an array love songs from around
the world, including songs from England, Ireland,
Wales, New Zealand, China, Japan, Persia, Poland,
Greece, Sweden, Israel, Latvia, and of course, the
USA! Styles include classic to pop, including an
Elvis medley. Program sponsored by Quince Orchard Library and Friends of the Library, Quince
Orchard Chapter. For more information, please call
(240) 777-0200. Quince Orchard Library, 15831
Quince Orchard Rd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
FEB. 12
FOREVER YOURS BEREAVEMENT
WORKSHOP
Feb. 12. 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. A special workshop
for widows, widowers and life partners who want to
honor and remember their loved ones on Valentine’s
Day. Free and open to any Montgomery County resident. Registration required. Call (301) 921-4400.
Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Dr., Rockville,
MD 20850.
TEEN WRITER'S CLUB
Feb. 12. 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Join us every
Thursday at the Marilyn J. Praisner Library, at
14910 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD
20866, to meet other teens who share your interest
in writing. Learn to improve your writing and try
new approaches. Ages 12 and up are welcome.
Every Thursday 6:30-8:00 p.m. For additional li-
FOREVER YOURS BEREAVEMENT
WORKSHOP
Feb. 13. 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. A special workshop for widows, widowers and life partners who
want to honor and remember their loved ones on
Valentine’s Day. Free and open to any Montgomery
County resident. Registration required. Call (301)
921-4400. Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Dr.,
Rockville, MD 20850.
LEATHER & LACE STEVIE NICKS TRIBUTE BAND
Feb. 13. 9 p.m. Rocky Gap Casino Resort’s Allegheny Event Center will host Leather & Lace: A
Tribute to Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac.
Leather and Lace is focused on bringing the intensity and glamour of Stevie Nicks to the stage in the
form of an entertaining presentation that draws the
audience in on their journey through Stevie's music.
General admission tickets are $20, or $35, which includes a buffet. More information about Leather &
Lace is available at
http://stevienickstributeband.com. Guests must be
21 years-old to attend and tickets are non-refundable. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at (301) 784-8573 or at
http://rockygapcasino.com/tickets. 16701 Lakeview
Rd., Flintstone, MD 21530.
STORYTELLER DIANE MACKLIN
Feb. 14. 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. Join us for a special interactive story experience! Diane Macklin will be
presenting tales involving rhythm, music, songs,
chants and movement in celebration of Black History Month! A show for the whole family; no registration required. Program sponsored by the Friends of
the Library, Quince Orchard Chapter. For more information, call (240) 777-0200. Quince Orchard Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Rd., Gaithersburg,
MD 20878.
PLAY IN A DAY
Feb. 20-21. Six professional Washington, D.C.
area theatre companies will write, direct, rehearse
and perform original plays based on similar themes
in only 24 hours. The plays will be presented at the
tenth annual Play In A Day, a one-of-a-kind theatrical event.
Play In A Day kicks off on Friday evening, February 20th where playwrights and directors come together to receive their assigned themes and props.
Playwrights then work through the night to create
their ten-minute masterpieces. As the sun comes up,
rehearsals begin as teams of directors and actors
prepare anxiously to make the 8pm performance
deadline on Saturday, February 21, 2015. Tickets
are $15
Participants: Adventure Theatre MTC, American
Ensemble Theater, Flying V, Imagination Stage, Olney Theater, Round House Theatre.
Continued on page 14
14
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
Whatʼs happening this week in Montgomery County
C
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
ALENDAR
Continued from page 13
ANNUAL SPRING GARDENING CONFERENCE
Feb. 21. The Montgomery County Master Gardeners are holding their 15th Annual Spring Gardening Conference. The daylong event offers multiple workshops, morning snacks, a delicious bag
lunch, door prizes, networking with other gardeners,
answers to your gardening questions, handouts, and
reference materials. Participants can attend three of
nine concurrent workshops, all taught by Master
Gardeners. This year’s topics include water features,
herbs, perennials for shade, urban gardening, design
tricks, DIY irrigation, peppers, and much more, plus
several lunchtime presentations. The event will be
held at the University of Maryland Extension Montgomery County Office, 18410 Muncaster Rd, Derwood, MD, at the Agricultural History Farm Park.
Advance registration is $55 (box lunch included);
bring a friend and the cost is $100 for two. Registration information can be found at:
http://goo.gl/i4nalm
The registration deadline is February 17, 2015.
Space is limited and workshops will be filled on a
first-come, first-served basis.
CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION:
YEAR OF THE SHEEP
Feb. 21. 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Usher in the Chinese
New Year 4713, Year of the Sheep, with the
COURTESY PHOTO
Duquesne University Tamburitzans
present music, songs, and dances
of Eastern Europe on Feb. 7th at the
F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in
Rockville.
Gaithersburg Chinese School. Enjoy folk dancing,
performances and arts and crafts. Performances at
11:00 a.m. and arts and craft activities at 12:00 p.m.
Space is limited. Presented by the students and staff
of Gaithersburg Chinese School and sponsored by
the Friends of the Library, Quince Orchard Chapter.
For more information, call (240) 777-0200. Quince
Orchard Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Rd.,
Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
ROMERO: SUITE PARA CUERDES
Feb. 21. 8 p.m. National String Symphonia presents "Romero: Suite Para Cuerdas.” This complete
suite is a rhythmic, sensual piece that weaves
Venezuelan folk music with traditional European
forms and energizes any space it fills. Romero is
best known for his popular works and was creator of
Venezuela's new wave "Onda Nueva" school of music. Tickets: $10-$37.50. Learn more at
www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre or (240) 314-8690. F.
Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville Civic Center
Park at 603 Edmonston Dr., Rockville, MD.
CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION:
YEAR OF THE SHEEP
Feb. 21. 11a.m.-1p.m. Usher in the Chinese New
Year 4713, Year of the Sheep, with the Gaithersburg
Chinese School. Enjoy folk dancing, performances
and arts and crafts. Performances at 11:00 a.m. and
arts and craft activities at 12:00 p.m. Space is limited. Presented by the students and staff of Gaithersburg Chinese School and sponsored by the Friends
of the Library, Quince Orchard Chapter. For more
information, call (240) 777-0200. Quince Orchard
Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Rd., Gaithersburg,
MD 20878.
LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION AT
BLACKROCK CENTER
Feb. 21. 10:00am – 1:00 p.m. Celebrate Lunar
New Year at BlackRock . Join us for a Free Family
Fun Day with kid-friendly tours of the exhibition
“Transformations of Brush and Paper,” drop-in art
making activities with a Lunar New Year theme,
and performances of traditional Asian music, dance,
and more. The event is free but advance registration
is recommended. Drop-ins are welcome. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Recommended for ages 5+ with adult. Live music and
dance performances have been organized in partnership with the Chinese Cultural and Community Service Center (CCACC), located in Gaithersburg,
MD, and will include music performed by the
CCACC Gu Zheng Club, martial arts by the MoyYat Ving Tsun Athletics Association, traditional
dances by the Graceful Posture & Dance Class and
the Carol Kuo Dance Class, and choral music by
The Potomac Youth Choir. For more information
about the Chinese Cultural and Community Service
Center (CCACC), please visit: www.ccacc-dc.org
LOCATION: Main Gallery (first floor) BlackRock
Center for the Arts 12901 Town Commons Drive,
Germantown, MD 20874. PRICE: FREE - For
more information, please visit: www.blackrockcenter.org
ROMERO: SUITE PARA CUERDES
Feb. 21. 8 p.m. National String Symphonia presents "Romero: Suite Para Cuerdas.” This complete
suite is a rhythmic, sensual piece that weaves
Venezuelan folk music with traditional European
forms and energizes any space it fills. Romero is
best known for his popular works and was creator of
Venezuela's new wave "Onda Nueva" school of music. Tickets: $10-$37.50. Learn more at
www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre or (240) 314-8690. F.
Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville Civic Center
Park at 603 Edmonston Dr., Rockville, MD.
BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT
Feb. 22. 3 p.m. Rocky Gap Casino Resort will
host a CASH Blackjack tournament in which players can win a share of $1,500. The buy-in is now
just $30 and the top five winners are guaranteed
cash prizes. For more information, call (301) 7848400 or visit rockygapresort.com. 16701 Lakeview
Rd., Flintstone, MD 21530.
TAKOMA PARK JAZZFEST BAND
BRAWL
Feb. 22. 6 p.m. Three jazz bands will compete
for a showcase at the 20th Takoma Park JazzFest
plus $600 prize. The 20th JazzFest will be Sunday,
June 14 in downtown Takoma Park (two stages,
workshops, crafts and international foods). For more
information, visit www.tpjazzfest.org or contact
Bruce Krohmer, producer, at [email protected]
or (240) 277-6291. Busboys and Poets, 234 Carroll
St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20012.
February 5, 2015 – February 11, 2015
ROCKVILLE'S LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION
Feb. 28. - A special Lunar New Year celebration
will honor Rockville's Asian cultures on Saturday,
Feb. 28, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at Rockville Civic Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive.
The event will feature samples of Asian cuisine
and a variety of multigenerational performances and
exhibitors including several dance groups. Also performing will be Flowers of Beijing Opera, the boys
Korean drum group from Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School in Germantown and the FilipinoAmerican Community of St. Rose of Lima Parish in
Gaithersburg. A full list of performers is available
atwww.rockvillemd.gov/lunarnewyear.
The celebration is organized by Rockville's
Asian Pacific American Task Force to commemorate the beginning of the year 4713 on the Chinese
calendar. One in three Rockville residents was born
outside the United States and 54 percent of the
City's foreign-born population was born in Asia, according to the City's planning department. For more
information, contact Janet Kelly, task force liaison at
240-314-8316 [email protected] or visit
www.rockvillemd.gov/apataskforce. For information about access, call the City's ADA coordinator at
240-314-8108.
ERNESTO BAZAN PHOTOWORKS
@GLEN ECHO PARK
Feb. 28. 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Portfolio Reviews
with Master Photographer Ernesto Bazan - One-OnOne Reviews $150 for up to 30 prints.
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM "A Cuban Trilogy" Ernesto
Bazan Lecture & Book Signing, Elsie Hull Memorial Lecture Series $25 per ticket. Visit glenechophotoworks.org for information & tickets, or check out
our Facebook events page.
DREAM ON! ART EXHIBIT AT DEL RAY
ARTISANS
Exhibit Dates: March 6–29. Weird, wonderful,
surreal or scary, our dreams conjure images and influence feelings. Some dreams are thematic; some
are more random, disjointed occurrences—fragmented images that question the meaning of past
experiences or forewarn of future occurrences. Visit
Del Ray Artisans gallery in March to see how artists
explored their nocturnal adventures and daydreams
in the exhibit: DREAM ON! Join the artists and other art appreciators for the opening reception on Friday, March 6 from 7-9 pm.
In conjunction with the exhibit, don’t miss the
“Dream On Pajama Party” on Saturday, March 14
from 7-10 p.m. There will be prizes, raffles, and fun!
The party is free to those who arrive in pajamas and
$5 each for those who don’t. An exciting and fun
evening is planned for all!
The exhibit and pajama party will be at Del Ray
Artisans gallery at the Nicholas A. Colasanto Center, 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22301. Regular gallery hours are: Thursdays
12-6 pm, Fridays & Saturdays 12-9 pm, and Sundays 12-6 pm. The gallery is free, open to the public
and handicap accessible. For more information,
please visit www.TheDelRayArtisans.org/shows or
contact the curator Theresa Kulstad ([email protected]) or Del Ray Artisans’ Director of Curating
Lesley Hall ([email protected]).
ONGOING
A DAY AT THE POOL EXHIBITION
Through Feb. 23. "A Day at the Pool" depicts the
anxiety that underlies a mother's love. Na'ama Batya
COURTESY PHOTO
Ronald Beverly's photo exhibit at the BlackRock Center for the Arts opens
Feb. 5th.
Lewin is a photographer and video artist living in
Maryland. Her art often explores the roles of
women in society. The responsibilities, expectations
and emotions that come from being a daughter, a
wife and a mother have been recurring themes in
her work. Ms. Lewin has served as adjunct faculty
at the Corcoran College of Art and Design for
eleven years. For more information, visit
www.glenechophotoworks.org or call (301) 6342274. Photoworks Gallery and Photography School,
7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812.
AFTERNOON GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesdays 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. For anyone grieving
the death of a love one. Registration required at
(301) 921-4400. North Bethesda United Methodist
Church, 10100 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda, MD
20814.
LOSS OF A CHILD SUPPORT GROUP
Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. For parents
grieving the death of a child of any age. Registration
required at (301) 921-4400. Montgomery Hospice,
1355 Piccard Dr., Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850.
EVENING GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP
Thursdays 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. For anyone grieving the death of a loved one. Registration required at
(301) 921-4400. Hughes United Methodist Church,
10700 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20918.
PARENT LOSS SUPPORT GROUP
Thursdays 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. For adults who
have experienced the death of one or both parents.
Registration required at (301) 921-4400. Mt. Calvary Baptist church, 608 North Horner’s Lane,
Rockville, MD 20850.
RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN
Jan. 28 - Feb. 22. In a comedy hailed by The
New York Times as “intensely smart and immensely funny,” Gina Gionfriddo (Becky Shaw) takes a
sharp, unflinching look at 21st century gender politics. After grad school, Catherine built a career as a
rock-star academic while Gwen built a home with a
husband and children. Decades later, unfulfilled in
opposite ways, each woman covets the other’s life,
and a dangerous game begins as each tries to claim
the other’s territory. For more information, call
(240) 644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org.
Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway,
Bethesda, MD 20814.
BACKGAMMON TOURNAMENT
Tuesdays. 6:30p.m.-10p.m. Local backgammon
tournament on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each
month starting March 11. More information at
MeetUp.com-DC Metro Backgammon Club. Ruby
Tuesday Westfield Wheaton Mall 11160 Veirs Mill
Rd, Wheaton-Glenmont, MD 20902
[email protected]
DOWNLOADING E-BOOKS, E-AUDIOBOOKS, E-MAGAZINES ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICES
Jan. 6 - Feb. 10. Learn how to download ebooks, e-audio books and e-magazines on your mobile device like the Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Nook or
Android devices. Volunteers or staff will meet with
you one-on-one and walk you through the process
and answer any questions you may have. For more
information, call (240) 777-0200. Quince Orchard
Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Rd., Gaithersburg,
MD 20878.
CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH
Sundays 11am-3pm. $33 $12 for unlimited
champagne cocktails Executive Chef Todd Wiss has
cooked up a seasonal brunch menu complete with a
brunch time standard – Champagne! Guests are
welcome every Sunday to indulge on Black’s favorites like Smoked Salmon, Chesapeake Bay Blue
Fish Rillette, Herb Crusted Pineland Farms Prime
Rib or breakfast treats like House Made Brioche
French Toast, Quiche and a selection of Chef Wiss’
homemade jams. Visit http://www.blacksbarandkitchen.com or call (301) 652-5525. Black’s Bar
and Kitchen, 7750 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, MD
20814.
LAUGH RIOT AT THE HYATT
Saturdays 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Check out a live
standup comedy show by local stand up comics
every weekend at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda.
There's a $25 cash prize joke contest for non-comedian audience members after the show. Check it out
every Saturday night! Comedians can sign up to
perform by emailing [email protected].
$10 at the door. Visit http://www.StandupComedyToGo.com or call (301) 657-1234. Hyatt Regency
Bethesda, 1 Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda, MD.
CORPORATE BARTENDING FOR CHARITY
Wednesdays 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Send your CEO or
VP to Tommy Joe's to bartend for charity! Can't bartend? No problem, the on-staff bartenders are there
Continued on page 15
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
Continued from page 14
please visit: http://danceexchange.org/ or call: 301270-6700.
to help for a good cause (no experience necessary).
Represent your company during happy hour, and a
portion of the proceeds will go to the charity of your
choice. Maybe you can even pull off some flair behind the bar and make Tom Cruise proud. Visit tommyjoes.com or call (301) 654-3801 for more information. 4714 Montgomery Ln., Bethesda, MD
20814.
NEED A SITTER? IT’S LEGO TIME AT
VISARTS!
Saturdays, 12 – 5 p.m. at VisArts in Rockville.
Go on a date, get some shopping done, or just relax
for a few hours while your kids get to play with
more than 15 pounds of LEGO bricks! Children can
play on our LEGO race track, build a car, a tall tower, a city or free build. They can even take part in a
LEGO craft project! Our top-notch staff are LEGO
enthusiasts and ready to entertain your kids while
you get some "me" time. Register at [email protected].
LIVE MUSIC FRIDAYS
Friday 9:30 p.m.-12:30 p.m. Rock Bottom
Restaurant & Brewery features different music
styles by various live bands that perform both original and cover songs. So come relax and enjoy live
music and Rock Bottom's award-winning handcrafted beer. Visit http://www.rockbottom.com or call
(301) 652-1311 for more information. 7900 Norfolk
Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814.
SALSA NIGHT
Tuesdays 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Come to the
Barking Dog every Tuesday night for their sizzling
Salsa Night. Take lessons with salsa instructor
Michelle Reyes from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. for only
$10. Learn to shake those hips, and then show off
your new skills to the music of a live salsa band during the open dance after class. Visit salsawild.com
or call (301) 654-0022 for more information. 4723
Elm St., Bethesda, MD 20814.
HEY MR. DJ
Fridays 9 p.m.-2 a.m. It’s time to dance! Grab
your friends and come to The Barking Dog for a
good time on the dance floor. Every Friday and Saturday night the Dog brings in a DJ to play the Top
40 and your favorite songs. Make sure you check
out their great drink specials before you show us
what you got! The Barking Dog, Elm Street Bethesda, MD 20814. Free admission.
SPAGNVOLA CHOCOLOATE FACTORY
TOUR
Saturdays and Sundays : 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Meet
the owners, learn about the origin of chocolate, and
see how it is grown and processed. Experience how
chocolate is made from the actual cacao seed to the
final chocolate during this "sweet" educational tour,
from chocolate bars to truffles to bonbons. Each tour
also includes a FREE chocolate tasting! 360 Main
Street Suite 101 Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878.
Visit http://www.spagnvola.com or call (240) 6546972.
COUNTRY THURSDAYS
Thursdays, 9 p.m. Union Jack's traditionally
British pub in Bethesda heads to the South for their
all new Country Night every Thursday. Live country/rock bands, free cowboy hats for the cowgirls,
bandanas for the cowboys, drink specials, including
$2 PBR cans, $2 Budweiser bottles, $4 Jack Daniels
drinks, food specials including 50 cent hot wings.
Best of all, there's no cover to get in! And be sure to
get there early for Union Jack's famous Beat. 4915
Saint Elmo Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814.
WORLD SERIES OF POKER
Every Tuesday and Sunday night Flanagan's
hosts Poker in the rear from 8-10 p.m. it's Bethesda's
own version of The World Series of poker. Call
(301) 951-0115 for more. Flanagan's Harp and Fiddle, 4844 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814.
TAKOMA MOVES! COMMUNITY DANCE
CLASS AT DANCE EXCHANGE
Thursdays, 6:30 - 8 p.m., $10 per class. First
Thursday of each month from 6:30 - 7 p.m., free!
This open-level, community modern class brings together movers of all ages and abilities to move and
make at Dance Exchange. Led by teachers from the
DC region, Takoma Park Moves creates a space to
explore improvisation, technique, and choreography
in an intergenerational class. This drop-in class will
kick off on the first Thursday of each month with a
free, 30 minute get to know you class. New to
dance? Join us. Returning to dance? Join us. Just
want to dance with your family and neighbors? Join
us. Presented by Dance Exchange, 7117 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park, MD. For more information,
GAITHERSBURG ROTARY CLUB WEEKLY MEETING
Every Tuesday, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Hilton Hotel,
620 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg. For more information, please visit www.gaithersburgrotary.org.
THE COMEDY AND MAGIC SOCIETY
Fridays, 8 p.m. Astounding magic and slight of
hand with interactive theatre and hilarious fun. Ages
10 and up. 311 Kent Square Rd, Gaithersburg, MD
20878. For more information: 301-258-6394. Price:
$12 to $15
DROP-IN YOGA IN BETHESDA
Fridays, 6 – 7 p.m. Community classes are
mixed level, one-hour asana classes taught by a rotating selection of Unity Woods teachers. Just drop
in – no registration required! Unity Woods Yoga
Center, 4853 Cordell Ave. Bethesda. Ages 18+.
Cost: $5. For more information, call 301-656-8992.
TEEN SK8 AT WHEATON ICE
Most Friday evenings 8 p.m.– 10 p.m. The
Wheaton Ice Arena is the place to be on Friday
nights! Play along with our theme to get the 'Cheapskate' rate of $6.50 for admission and skates.
Wheaton Regional Park, 11717 Orebaugh Ave in
Wheaton, MD. For more information, call: 301905-3000 or visit: montgomeryparks.org.
– Compiled by Rebecca Guterman
The Montgomery County
Sentinel
regrets to inform
organizations that only
Montgomery County
groups or events located
within the county will be
published on a space-available basis.
Send news of your group’s
event AT LEAST two
weeks in advance to:
The Montgomery County Sentinel
22 W Jefferson St. Suite 309
Rockville, MD. 20850
or email [email protected]
or call 301.838.0788
Some Fun
15
16
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
17
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
C
LASSIFIEDS
Automotive
1035 - Antiques & Classics
1039 - Domestics
1040 - Imports
1041 - Sports Utility Vehicle
1043 - Pickups, Trucks & Vans
1045 - Motorcycles/Mopeds
1046 - Auto Services
1047 - Parts/Accessories
1051 - Vehicles Wanted
RVʼs
1059 - Airplanes
1065 - Boats
1067 - RVs
Announcements
2001 - Adoptions
2003 - Carpools
2004 - Happy Ads
2005 - Camp Directory
2006 - Classes/Seminars
2008 - Found
2031 - Lost
2033 - General Announcements
2037 - Personal Ads
2039 - In Memoriam
Services
3000 - Accounting Services
3017 - Business services
3021 - Carpet services
3030 - Ceramic Tile
3031 - Child care services
3033 - Chimney cleaning
3035 - Cleaning services
3039 - Computer Services
3041 - Concrete
3045 - Decorating/Home
Interior
3052 - Editing/Writing
3053 - Elder Care
3055 - Electrical Services
3057 - Entertainment/Parties
3062 - Financial
3066 - General Services
3071 - Gutters
3072 - Hauling
3073 - Health & Fitness
3075 - Home Improvement
3085 - Instruction/Tutoring
3086 - Insurance Services
3089
3093
3095
3101
3102
3103
3104
3105
3107
3109
3115
3118
3123
3125
3129
3130
3133
3135
3137
3141
3143
3145
-
Landscaping
Lawn & Garden
Legal Services
Masonry
Medical/Health
Moving & Storage
Painting
Paving/Seal Coating
Pet Services
Photography
Plumbing
Pressure Cleaning
Roofing
Sewing/Alterations
Snow Removal
Tax Preparation
Tree Services
Upholstering
Wallpapering
Wedding/Parties
Window Cleaning
Windows
Employment
4107 - Resumes/Word
Processing
Professional Services
Specializing in Concrete &
Masonry Construction Since 1977
4109
4121
4122
4123
4134
4135
4139
4140
4141
4142
4155
4163
-
5022 - Garage/Yard Sales
5024 - Health & Fitness
5026 - Horses, Livestock &
Supplies
5030 - Lawn & Garden
Equipment
5032 - Merchandise For Sale
5034 - Miscellaneous
5036 - Musical Instruments
5040 - Pets & Supplies
5045 - Trips, Tours & Travel
5048 - Wanted to Buy
Positions Wanted
Child Care Wanted
Domestic Help Wanted
Volunteers Wanted
Career Training
Help Wanted, General
Medical
Dental
Allied Health
Part-time Positions
Seasonal Help
Business Opportunities
Merchandise
5000 - Give Aways
5002 - Antiques
5003 - Appliances
5004 - Arts, Crafts & Hobbies
5005 - Auction & Estate Sales
5008 - Building Materials
5012 - Cemetery Lots & Crypts
5014 - Computers & Software
5015 - Consignment
5016 - Events/Tickets
5018 - Flea Market
5020 - Furniture
Rentals
6035 - Apartments/Condos
6037 - Apartment Complexes
6039 - Commercial Space
6043 - Homes/Townhomes
6047 - Industrial/Warehouse
6049 - Office Space
6051 - Roommates
6053 - Room for Rent
6057 - Storage Space
6059 - Vacation Rental
6061 - Want to Rent
Real Estate
6101 - Commercial property
6117 - Lots & Acreage
6119 - Mobile Homes
6121 - Owners Sale
6123 - Real Estate
6127 - Real Estate Services
6131 - Real Estate Wanted
6133 - Vacation Property
To Advertise in The Sentinel:
Phone: 1-800-884-8797
(301) 317-1946
DEADLINES:
Prince Georgeʼs Sentinel
Monday 12:30 pm
Montgomery County Sentinel
Monday 12:30 pm
To Place Your Ad Call 410-884-4600 Today!
• 2-story Foyers/Vaulted Ceilings
• Military Discounts
• Drywall/Water Damage Repair • Senior Citizen Discounts
• Power Washing/Decks/Homes
• Licensed & Insured
• Handyman/Carpentry
• MHIC#70338
• Wallpaper Removal
Driveways
Brick
Sidewalks
Stone
Patios
Stucco
Steps
Chimneys
Custom Design
Basements
(o) 410.663.1224
(c) 443.562.7589
MHIC #3802
WWW.LSCMD.COM
AUTO
SERVICES
AUTO INSURANCE
STARTING AT $25/ MONTH!
Call 877-929-9397
VEHICLES
WANTED
CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!
Top $$$$$ PAID! Running or
Not, All Makes!. Free Towing!
We’re Local! 7 Days/Week. Call
1-800-959-8518
CASH FOR CARS!
Any Make, Model or Year. We
Pay MORE! Running or Not. Sell
Your Car or Truck TODAY. Free
Towing! Instant Offer:
1-888-545-8647
DONATE AUTOS, TRUCKS,
RV’S. LUTHERAN MISSION
SOCIETY Your donation helps
local families with food, clothing, shelter, counseling. Tax deductible. MVA License #W1044.
410-636-0123 or www.LutheranMissionSociety.org
ACCOUNTING
SERVICES
GET CASH NOW
for your Annuity or Structured
Settlement. Top Dollars Paid.
Fast, No Hassle Service! 877693-0934 (M-F 9:35am-7pm ET)
GUARANTEED INCOME FOR
YOUR RETIREMENT Avoid
market risk & get guaranteed
income in retirement! CALL for
FREE copy of our SAFE MONEY
GUIDE Plus Annuity Quotes
from A-Rated companies!
800-669-5471
ACCOUNTING
SERVICES
www.handsonpainters.com 410-242-1737
ACCOUNTING
SERVICES
Vacuum Cleaners
Serviced All makes
Free
Estimates
& models
Free pick up
& delivery
91 years of service 1924 - 2015
Aerus Electrolux
Factory Authorized Provider
Our showroom & service dept.
1702 Joan Ave • Balto 21234
410-882-1027
PROBLEMS WITH THE IRS OR
STATE TAXES?
Settle for a fraction of what you
owe! Free face to face consultations with offices in your area.
Call 855-970-2032
SELL YOUR STRUCTURED
SETTLEMENT OR ANNUITY
payments for CASH NOW. You
don’t have to wait for your future payments any longer!
Call 1-800-283-3601
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY
BENEFITS.
Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay
Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon &
Associates at 1-800-706-8742
to start your application today!
BUSINESS
SERVICES
DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR
BUSINESS AND REACH 4.1
MILLION READERS WITH JUST
ONE PHONE CALL & ONE
BILL. See your business ad in
104 newspapers in Maryland,
Delaware and the District of
Columbia for just $495.00 per
ad placement. The value of
newspapers advertising HAS
NEVER BEEN STRONGER....call
1-855-721-6332 x 6 or 301-8528933 today to place your ad before 4.1 million readers. Email
Wanda Smith @ [email protected] or visit our website
at www.mddcpress.com.
PLACE YOUR AD TODAY
IN THE AREA’S PREMIER
NEWSPAPERS,
The Baltimore Sun and The
Washington Post newspapers,
along with 10 other daily newspapers five days per week.
Reach 2.5 million readers with
your ad placement in every
daily newspaper in Maryland,
Delaware and the District of
Columbia. For just pennies on
the dollar reach 2.5 million
readers through the MDDC’s
Daily Classified Connection Network. CALL 1-855-721-6332 x 6;
SPACE is VERY LIMITED; email
[email protected]
or visit our website at
www.mddcpress.com.
BANK ON BANK ON
RESULTS. RESULTS.
Your ad here
pays off.
Your ad here
pays off.
BUSINESS
SERVICES
PLACE YOUR 2X4 AD IN
THIS NETWORK IN 82 NEWSPAPERS
IN
MARYLAND,
DELAWARE AND DC for just
$2900.00. Reach 3.6 million
readers every week with just
one call, one bill and one ad.
Call 1-855-721-6336 x 6 to
place your ad or email wsmith@
mddcpress.com. Get the reach,
the results...maximize your advertising dollars TODAY!
HAULING
1-1 MIN. CALL
HAULS IT ALL
Any size job welcome. Guar.
to beat comp. price. Free est.
Call Mike 410-294-8404.
1AAA ABC Attics, Bsmt, Garage, Yards. 25 yrs of honest
hauling. Same Day. Call Mike:
410-446-1163.
ABM’S HAULING
Clean Houses
Basements, Yards & Attics
Haul free unwanted cars
Match Any Price!!!!!
443-250-6703
HOME
IMPROVEMENT
ALL THINGS BASEMENTY!
Basement Systems Inc. Call us
for all of your basement needs!
Waterproofing, Finishing, Structural Repairs, Humidity and
Mold Control FREE ESTIMATES!
Call 1-800-998-5574
LEGAL
SERVICES
LEGAL
SERVICES
LEGAL
SERVICES
3026045-1
PD RIVATE
RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES
3 X 2.51 i
Judge NANCY
B. SHUGER
served for 18 years
Associate Judge on the
22095
Legal
Services
-as anCNG
District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City, handling various civil and criminal
3026045-1
matters. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) offers a creative, positive alternative tot the cost and uncertainty of litigation for individuals, businesses, organiza004676NANCY
tions and families. As a former judge, she can assist disputing parties to achieve
reasonable results. ADR offers a way for her to help people discover common
SENTINEL
interests which can allow them to shape their own resolution to their disputes.
Nancy
As a mediator, she acts as a private neutral. She emphasizes that mediation can be
ISLAND
effective wether the parties desire to address differences in an ongoing relationship,
or to reach a mutually agreeable solution to a single dispute, without trial. She uses
mediation, arbitration and settlement conferences successfully for conflict involving
personal injury (including auto torts and premises liability), employment, workplace
conflict, child access, elder law, ethics, collections, contracts and other civil matters.
Nancy B. Shuger • Baltimore, MD
410-903-7813 • [email protected]
CAREER
TRAINING
CAREER
TRAINING
CAREER
TRAINING
AIRLINE CAREERS START
HERE
Get hands on training as FAA
certified Technician fixing jets.
Financial aid if qualified. Call for
free information Aviation Institute of Maintenance
1-877-818-0783
www.FixJets.com
AVIATION GRADS WORK
WITH JETBLUE,
Boeing, Delta and others- start
here with hands on training for
FAA certification. Financial aid if
qualified. Call Aviation Institute
of Maintenance 866-823-6729
YOU CAN BE CAREER-READY
in as little as 3 months for a
rewarding new career in the
growing healthcare, technology,
or administration industries.
The U.S. Department of Labor
expects millions of new jobs in
these fields! Get started today:
CareerStep.com/startnow.
18
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
CAREER
TRAINING
MEDICAL BILLING TRANING
PROGRAM! Train to process
insurance and Medical Billing
from home! NO EXPERIENCE
NEEDED! Online training at CTI
gets you job ready! HS Diploma/
Ged & Computer/Internet needed.1-877-649-2671
HELP WANTED,
GENERAL
HELP WANTED,
GENERAL
WEBMASTER
D 3026054-1
2 X 3.01 i
47135 Help
Wanted,
General
- CNG
Webmaster
needed
to manage
website
for two
3026054-1
weekly
newspapers.
Responsibilities
include,
but
004011WEBMASTER
not
limited to: Preparing the electronic version
SENTINEL
Master
ofWeb
the publications,
designing ads and overseeing
the website. Call 301-728-7949 to apply.
HELP WANTED,
GENERAL
Detailed Job Description
EARN $500 A DAY: Insurance
Agents Needed; Leads, No Cold
Calls; Commissions Paid Daily;
Lifetime Renewals; Complete
Training; Health & Dental Insurance; Life License Required
Call 1-888-713-6020
HELP WANTED!!
Make up to $1000 A Week
Mailing Brochures From Home!
Helping Home Workers since
2001! Genuine Opportunity!
NO Experience Required!
www.needmailers.com
VOID IN WI
NO EXPERIENCE = NO
PROBLEM
We have Openings
Full Time Hour$
No Experience Needed
Full Training Provided
Competitive Compensation
+ Bonus Opportunities
Call To Schedule an Interview
410-616-0615
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITIES
AVON - Earn extra income with
a new career! Sell from home,
work,, online. $15 startup. For
information call: 888-423-1792
(M-F 9-7 & Sat 9-1 Central)
• Placing the PDFs online via FTP site (includes
Display Ads, Classified Ads, and Obituaries)
• Designing/Placing Ads online
• Overseeing website (working the back-end
of the website)
• Creating a new website
The two publications are tabloid size and
the P.G. Sentinel runs about 24 pages
weekly, the Montgomery Sentinel runs
about 64 pages weekly.
The Sentinel Newspaper has an immediate
D 3026049-1
opening for a sales representative to sell
2 X 2.01 i
print and
online General
advertising.
47135 Help
Wanted,
- CNG
3026049-1
The
successful
candidate
must
have
advertising
003341ADREP
sales
experience, preferably in the newspaper
SENTINEL
Ad Repand online. Applicant will conduct sales
industry
and service calls on existing accounts and new
accounts to grow revenue. The successful candidate
must have strong people skills, be self-motivated
with good organizational skills, computer skills and
have reliable transportation. A college degree is
preferred. Interested persons should send cover
letter, resume and references to:
Lynn Kapiloff - 5307 N. Charles St. Baltimore,
MD 21210 or email: [email protected]
PLACE YOUR AD TODAY
IN BOTH
The Baltimore Sun and The
Washington Post newspapers,
along with 10 other daily newspapers five days per week. For
just pennies on the dollar reach
2.5 million readers through
the Daily Classified Connection Network in 3 states: CALL
TODAY; SPACE is VERY LIMITED;
CALL 1-855-721-6332 x 6 or
301-852-8933 email wsmith@
mddcpress.com or visit our
website at
www.mddcpress.com
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITIES
DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR
BUSINESS
and reach 4.1 million readers
with just one phone call & one
bill. See your business ad in
104 newspapers in Maryland,
Delaware and the District of
Columbia for just $495.00 per
ad placement. The value of
newspapers advertising HAS
NEVER BEEN STRONGER....call
1-855-721-6332 x 6 today to
place your ad before 4.1 million
readers. Email Wanda Smith
@ [email protected] or
visit our website at
www.mddcpress.com.
I WILL MENTOR
a few ambitious, self-motivated people for a home-based
eCommerce business. Unlimited earning potential. Lots of
reward for modest investment.
Call 1-844-662-8933
GIVE AWAYS
FREE SINGLE STAGE SNOW
BLOWER in working condition.
Call 410-744-8554 between
7:30pm-8pm.
FIREWOOD
A-1 FIREWOOD Seasoned oak.
$165/1/2 cord, $225/cord. $60
extra to stack. Call 443-6861567
GARAGE/
YARD SALES
HOWARD COUNTY FAIRGRDS
Kids Nearly New Fall Sales
Sat’s- March 14, & April 11
140 family booths selling
NB-teen. Want a booth?
Info. www.KNNsale.com
SUNDAY BAZAAR
Howard County Fairgrds
Sun, April 12. 9am-3pm
crafts, flea, flowers,food
household, collectible
Antiques, sport equip.
more. 12’x12’ booth info.
applications/rules on web
www.HCSbazaar.com
HEALTH
& FITNESS
ACORN STAIRLIFTS CURVED
OR STRAIGHT MENTION THIS AD
SAVE $200.00 FREE ESTIMATE;
DEALER SINCE 1929; FAST &
RELIABLE SERVICE;CALL ANGEL
OR KATHY TODAY 888-353-8878
INDUSTRIAL/
WAREHOUSE
INDUSTRIAL/
WAREHOUSE
Warehouse Space
Available
D 3026059-1
2 X 2.01 i
57047 Industrial & Warehouse - CNG
3026059-1
003341WAREHOUSESPACE
SENTINEL
5,000 to 192,000
Square Feet with
Warehouse
Space Available
• Executive Offices • Loading Docks
• Sprinklers • M1, M2 or M3 Zoning
• Near Expressways
Cut Your Own Deal!
No Reasonable Offer Refused!
Call 301-728-7949
HEALTH
& FITNESS
CANADA DRUG CENTER is
your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed
Canadian mail order pharmacy
will provide you with savings of up to 90% on all your
medication needs. Call today
1-800-418-8975, for $10.00 off
your first prescription and free
shipping.
GOT KNEE PAIN?
Back Pain? Shoulder Pain? Get a
pain-relieving brace -little or NO
cost to you. Medicare Patients
Call Health Hotline Now!
1- 800-900-540
VIAGRA AND CIALIS USERS!
50 Pills SPECIAL - $99.00. FREE
Shipping! 100% guaranteed.
CALL NOW! 855-409-4132
VIAGRA - PFIZER BRAND
- Lowest Price from USA Pharmacies. No doctor visit needed!
Discreet Home Delivery. Call
855-684-5241
WHEELCHAIR AND SCOOTER
REPAIR. Medicare Accepted.
Fast Friendly Service. BBB
Rated. Loaners Available. CALL
1-800-450-7709
MISCELLANEOUS
ACORN STAIRLIFTS. THE AFFORDABLE solution to your
stairs! **Limited time -$250
Off Your Stairlift Purchase!**
Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call
1-800-304-4489 for FREE DVD
and brochure.
MISCELLANEOUS
ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT
OR SERVICE NATIONWIDE
or by region in over 7 million
households in North America’s
best suburbs! Place your classified ad in over 570 suburban
newspapers just like this one.
Call Classified Avenue
at 888-486-2466
DIRECTTV - 2 YEAR SAVINGS
EVENT! Over 140 channels
only $29.99 a month. Only DirecTV gives you 2 YEARS of savings and a FREE Genie upgrade!
Call 1-800-279-3018
DISH TV RETAILER.
Starting at $19.99/month (for
12 mos.) & High Speed Internet starting at $14.95/month
(where available.) SAVE! Ask
About SAME DAY Installation!
CALL Now! 800-278-1401
DISH TV STARTING AT $19.99/
MONTH (for 12 mos.) SAVE!
Regular Price $32.99 Call Today
and Ask About FREE SAME DAY
Installation!
CALL Now! 844-334-8858
FREE $50 WALMART GIFT
CARD & 3 FREE
of YOUR FAVORITE MAGAZINES!
To claim this free offer,
Call 855-954-3224
FREE BAHAMA CRUISE.
3 days/2 nights from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Pay only $59 port
charge! Upgrades available!
Call Now! 877-916-3235
FREE GOLD IRA KIT.
With the demise of the dollar
now is the time to invest in
gold. AAA Rated! For free consultation: 1-866-683-5664
GET CABLE TV, INTERNET &
PHONE WITH FREE HD Equipment and install for under $3 a
day! Call Now! 855-752-8550
MISCELLANEOUS
LOTS & ACREAGE
GET THE BIG DEAL FROM DIRECTV! Act Now- $19.99/mo.
Free 3-Months of HBO, starz,
SHOWTIME & CINEMAX FREE
GENIE HD/DVR Upgrade! 2014
NFL Sunday Ticket Included
with Select Packages. New Customers Only IV Support Holdings LLC- An authorized DirecTV
Dealer Some exclusions apply
- Call for details 1-800-897-4169
WATERFRONT LOTS-VIRGINIA’S EASTERN SHORE WAS
$325K
Now from $65,000
- Community Center/Pool. 1
acre+ lots, Bay & Ocean Access, Great Fishing, Crabbing,
Kayaking. Custom Homes www.
oldemillpointe.com
757-8240808
PLACE A BUSINESS CARD AD
IN THE STATEWIDE
Display 2x2 Advertising Network - Reach 3.6 Million readers with just one call, one bill
and one ad placement in 82
newspapers in Maryland, Delaware and DC TODAY! For just
$1450.00, Get the reach, Get
the results and for Just Pennies
on the Dollars Now...call
1-855-721-6332 x 6 or email
[email protected]
DISCOVER DELAWARE’S
RESORT LIVING
Without Resort Pricing! Milder
winters & low taxes! Gated
Community with amazing amenities! New Homes $80’s. Brochures available ] 1-866-6290770 www.coolbranch.com
OUT OF STATE
PROTECT YOUR HOME ADT Authorized Dealer: Burglary, Fire, and Emergency
Alerts 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week! CALL TODAY, INSTALLED
TOMORROW!
888-858-9457
(M-F 9am-9pm ET)
*REDUCE YOUR CABLE BILL! *
Get a 4-Room All-Digital Satellite system installed for FREE
and programming starting at
$19.99/mo. FREE HD/DVR upgrade for new callers, SO
CALL NOW 877-329-9040
WANT A LARGER FOOTPRINT
in the marketplace consider
advertising in the MDDC Display
2x2 or 2x4 Advertising Network.
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February 5, 2015
The Montgomery County Sentinel
19
PHOTOS BY JACQUI SOUTH
Donovan Walker brings the ball up for Springbrook, left, while at right Springbrookʼs Aaron Burton matches up with R.M.ʼs Nick Jackson.
Springbrook takes R.M. down a peg 43-40
By Holden Wilen
Sentinel Sports
SILVER SPRING – Three years
ago the Springbrook High School
coaching staff had concerns that Vincent Brown’s days on the hardwood
might be over after he suffered a serious injury to his leg and knee.
But on Friday night the senior
guard led the Blue Devils (14-2) to a
43-40 upset victory over the previously-undefeated Richard Montgomery Rockets (15-1) with two of
the biggest plays of his career.
With just over three minutes left
in the third quarter Brown made a 3pointer to give the Blue Devils their
first lead in the game since they led
2-0 in the first quarter. After the
Rockets came back to tie the game,
Brown slashed to the hoop, spun in
the air and put the ball in the basket
to give his team a 30-28 lead with 12
seconds left in the quarter.
“When I was dribbling I saw the
big man jump and I saw the spin
move was open,” said Brown, who
finished with eight points. “So I just
took advantage of that.”
The Blue Devils never relinquished the lead, though the game
came down to the last shot.
Springbrook head coach Darnell Myers, who is in his first year
leading the team, said Brown’s shots
made him proud because of the adversity Brown has faced.
“This kid got hurt as a freshman
and damaged his knee. We thought
that maybe his basketball career was
maybe going to be over,” Myers said.
“He went to therapy and he just hung
in there and has worked so hard all
season to get better. He went to
camps to get better. He didn’t even
start last year and now he is in a starting role and playing pretty good for
us.”
Myers called the shots Brown
made to give his team the lead the
biggest shots of the game.
“At first I was a little scared
when he did (the spin move) but then
after he made it up I jumped up, so I
was happy for him,” Myers said.
In the summer between his
freshman and sophomore year,
Brown said he broke his tibia. He
went through rehab and healed
quickly. Now, he said it feels good
seeing his hard work pay off.
“It feels great. It is every kid’s
dream to make the big shots in big
games and I’m just glad I was able to
do that,” Brown said. “I just had to
work harder than everybody and I’ve
just been able to get to where I am
now.”
In the fourth quarter Springbrook expanded its lead to as many
as seven points, leading 41-34. But
some mistakes down the stretch almost cost the team the game.
The Blue Devils struggled from
the free-throw line, hitting only 4-10
shots. They also turned the ball with
seven seconds left when senior center Aaron Burton, who finished with
a team-high 14 points, threw the ball
out of bounds and gave the Rockets
one last chance to tie the game.
“Aaron threw it too quick. Vincent was supposed to come up and he
was supposed to hit him in the corner
and he gets fouled,” Myers said. “He
saw Vincent run and tried to lead
Vincent to the outside. It was a mis-
take but they held them.”
The Rockets missed both 3point shot attempts, sealing the win
for the Blue Devils.
Despite the team suffering its
first loss of the season, Richard
Montgomery head coach David
Breslaw said the team’s goals remain
intact. Losing a game means staying
undefeated is one thing less to worry
about, he said. Breslaw also credited
his players for hanging in the game
even though the team played undermanned.
“We could have done some stuff
better. Being undefeated was never
really the goal for us and I don’t think
really many teams want to go undefeated or have the goal of going undefeated,” Breslaw said. “Of course
we are disappointed but we are going
to get over this, that’s no problem.”
20
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
February 5, 2015
SPORTS
PHOTOS BY JACQUI SOUTH
Clarksburg forward, Raphael Okoye, left, is fouled by Tyrik Etheridge of Gaithersburg on this shot. At right, Gaithersburg Geron Braithwaite drives the lane for a layup.
Gaithersburg tops rival Clarksburg 63-60
By Brandy L. Simms
Senior Sports Writer
GAITHERSBURG – Anthony
Tarke scored a game-high 21 points
and Geron Braithwaite added 17
points to lead the Trojans past rival
Clarksburg, 63-60, during a home
matchup Monday.
Tarke, an All-Sentinel performer as a junior last season, was
spectacular with his all-around play
on the court. Besides his scoring on
offense, Tarke unleashed a defensive
arsenal, showcasing shot blocking
ability.
Meanwhile, Clarksburg was led
by talented sophomore Ian Krishnan
and standout junior Dallas Marshall
who combined for 36 points. Krishnan, a Good Counsel transfer, finished with a team-high 19 points in
the loss.
The Coyotes played without
their star player, Andrew Kostecka, a
junior Holy Cross commit who was
on the bench nursing a bruised thigh.
“They’re a great program,”
Gaithersburg head coach Tom
Sheahin said. “They had beaten us
the last two times, obviously
knocked us out of the playoffs last
year.”
Gaithersburg led 23-22 at halftime before the Trojans outscored
Clarksburg in the third quarter to
take a 45-37 advantage entering the
final stanza.
Braithwaite’s three-point play
with seven minutes remaining gave
the Trojans a 49-39 advantage but
Clarksburg rallied behind Krishnan’s solid performance down the
stretch.
Clarksburg, who outscored
Gaithersburg 23-18 in the fourth
quarter, added a late basket to keep
the Coyotes within striking distance
before Tarke blocked Krishnan’s
three-point attempt from the corner
in the final seconds.
“Losing by three and beating us
once without their best player is
something said about their program,” added Sheahin. “He’s doing
a good job and like I told [Clarksburg head coach] G.J. [Kissal] before the game, that’s one team I
don’t want to play in the playoffs is
Clarksburg.”
All-Sentinel player honored as MVP in 2015 International Bowl
By Brandy L. Simms
Senior Sports Writer
Despite suffering a 25-9 loss to
Canada in what was billed as a great
matchup leading up to the game,
Avalon junior and All-Sentinel wide
receiver Trevon Diggs shined in the
2015 International Bowl Friday
night at AT&T Stadium in Texas.
Diggs earned MVP honors for
the United States after compiling
six catches for 128 yards.
Meanwhile, Bullis junior quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who also
earned All-Sentinel honors last season, was among the players selected as a team captain for the U.S.
Under-18 National Team.
Izayah Taylor, a junior defen-
sive standout at Avalon, was also
selected for the U-18 National
Team.
The International Bowl is a
collaboration of the sport’s national
governing bodies in each country –
USA Football and Football Canada
– featuring top student-athletes in
football’s greatest annual international competition.
Over the past two seasons,
Haskins has passed for more than
3,000 yards and 36 touchdowns
while leading Bullis to back-to-back
Interstate Athletic Conference titles.
Both Diggs and Haskins have
drawn the interest of college scouts
from coast to coast with numerous
NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) offers.
Haskins, who was named the
Maryland Gatorade Player of the
Year for his performance last season, is being recruited by Alabama,
Ohio State, Notre Dame and Rutgers among others while Diggs has
an offer list that includes Auburn,
Florida and Penn State. In-state
Maryland is also recruiting both
players.
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
21
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
SPORTS
Magruder and Gaithersburg clash and burn
By Holden Wilen
Sentinel Sports
ROCKVILLE – The Magruder
Colonels and Gaithersburg Trojans
both came into Wednesday night’s
matchup undefeated in the new calendar year, but only one team left a
winner.
Despite struggling with
turnovers and lackadaisical play on
defense in the first half, Magruder
(10-4) defeated Gaithersburg (10-4)
in game that came down to the last
shot—a missed 3-point attempt by
Trojans senior guard Geron Brathwaite.
“It was an intense battle, and it
has been the last few years,” said
Magruder head coach Dan Harwood.
“It’s a really interesting game because we haven’t practiced since Saturday and both teams were a little
rusty at times but the effort was great
and we were just fortunate to hold on
at the end.”
Magruder came into the game
having won six games in a row—including a 74-69 win against
Gaithersburg on Dec. 22—after
starting the season 3-3. The Trojans
also came in hot, riding a five-game
winning streak after losing back-toback games to Magruder and
Kennedy.
Early on both teams struggled
offensively as they turned the ball
over and missed open shots. Magruder struggled to handle Gaithers-
burg’s press defense, Harwood said,
which resulted in 12 turnovers in the
first half for the Colonels.
Despite the sloppy play, the
teams ended the first quarter tied at
15-15 after Magruder guard Peter
Nankhuni nailed a buzzer-beating
bank shot. Rather than celebrating
the shot Harwood found himself lecturing forward Ronald Hammond on
the court because Hammond had
missed his assignment on the play
before Nankhuni’s shot, leading to an
easy basket for the Trojans – but
Hammond would redeem himself in
the fourth quarter.
Magruder took the lead in the
second quarter following a threepoint play by forward Joe Hugley,
who finished with 14 points in the
game, and led 27-23 going into halftime. The Colonels increased their
lead to as many as seven points in the
third quarter and took a six-point
lead into the fourth quarter.
The Trojans showed resiliency,
starting the fourth quarter on a 13-6
run to take a 51-50 lead, but Hammond answered back for the
Colonels as he nailed a 3-pointer
with less than three minutes remaining in the game. He then added another bucket on the next possession
to give the Colonels a five-point lead
at 56-51. Hammond also made two
free throws down the stretch and finished with a game-high 18 points.
“Ronald is a tough kid. He drives me nuts sometimes,” Harwood
said. “At times he is my favorite
player and at times he is my least favorite player, but Ronald always
gives you a great effort and it is a real
tribute to him the way he bounced
back. He made the biggest plays in
the fourth quarter for us and I was
real proud of him.”
Hugley said sometimes Hammond makes plays that leave teammates scratching their heads, but in
the end he has faith in his teammate.
“Sometimes you don’t know
what you’re going to get from him
but you always know he is going to
play hard,” Hugley said.
Gaithersburg did not give up
down the stretch as Magruder struggled to execute in the final minute of
the game. The Trojans had a chance
at the end of the game, but Brathwaite missed the would-be gamewinning 3-pointer as time expired.
Trojans head coach Tom
Sheahin said he would have liked to
see the ball end up in the hands of the
team’s best player, senior forward
Anthony Tarke who finished with a
team-high 16 points, but in the end
his team did not make enough plays
to win the game.
“During the critical times when
we needed to score we turned it over
and they didn’t,” Sheahin said. “We
just have to take care of the basketball. If you miss foul shots and turn
the ball over you are not going to win
games like this.”
The Trojans will play again on
PHOTO BY JACQUI SOUTH
Joe Hugley awaits a rebound for Magruder.
Friday against Northwest while the
Colonels face a more grueling schedule – playing games on Thursday and
Friday as a result of previous games
getting postponed because of snow.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played
three games in a row in my 25 years
here,” Harwood said. “I told the kids
I want to practice, but the kids want
to play the game so they’re excited
about it. I would rather have practice
tomorrow and we need it, but instead
we get to play the game.”
Kelley is named to McDonalds All-America Churchill sings a new Song
By Brandy L. Simms
Senior Sports Writer
Bruce Kelley, a longtime boys
basketball coach at Potomac’s
Bullis School, has been selected to
participate in the 2015 McDonald’s
All-American Game.
“It is a tremendous honor,”
said Kelley, who will serve as head
coach of the East team. “I’m
thrilled. I’m really happy they’re
letting me bring my friends with
me to coach in that game.”
Kelley said his Bullis coaching staff comprised of Bob Brown,
Shawn Kane and Markus
Townsend will join him in Chicago
on April 1.
Meanwhile, Allonzo Trier,
who earned All-Sentinel Co-Player
of the Year honors at Montrose
Christian last season, was selected
to play on the West team in the McDonald’s All-American Game. Trier, a 6-foot-4 senior guard who
signed with Arizona, currently
plays at Findlay Prep in Nevada.
Since Kelley took over the
Bullis program in 2004, the Bulldogs have captured six Interstate
Athletic Conference titles and produced various all-conference players.
Bullis has won the IAC championship for the last three years and
will be seeking a fourth consecutive title this season.
During the 2012-13 campaign,
Kelley was named The Sentinel’s
Coach of the Year after guiding
Bullis to a 23-4 record including a
perfect 12-0 league mark and the
program’s second straight IAC
tournament crown.
Current Holy Cross sophomore point guard Anthony Thompson, then a senior on that Bullis
team, was named The Sentinel’s
Player of the Year in 2012-13.
Kelley, who has also coached
in the Capital Classic High School
All-Star Game, said he received
numerous calls and texts from various people once news of his selection spread.
“It’s cool and the best thing
about it is former players contacted
me,” said Kelley. “It’s been really,
really cool with them.”
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The Sentinel!
By Brandy L. Simms
Senior Sports Writer
Churchill High School has
named a new head coach to lead the
football program into the 2015 campaign.
The Potomac public school announced the hiring of Albert Song, a
1996 Churchill graduate who spent
last season as the offensive coordinator at Seneca Valley.
Song’s appointment to head
coach at his alma mater was announced on social media including
Twitter where he was greeted with
many well-wishers.
“Congrats to Coach Song on being the next head football coach @
Churchill,” tweeted Seneca Valley
head coach Fred Kim. “We will miss
him badly @ S.V. No doubt, he will
be a huge success.”
Song spent the last two seasons
as Seneca Valley’s offensive coordinator where he helped guide the
Screamin’ Eagles to a 15-5 record including an 8-2 mark last year. He was
also an assistant at Churchill from
2006-2008 according to Churchill
athletic director Scott Rivinius.
“He’s extremely passionate
about the program,” said Rivinius.
“We were anticipating him having a
strong interview and he was outstanding.”
As a Churchill running back in
the 1990’s, Song played for the legendary Fred Shepherd and helped
lead the Bulldogs to a 12-1 record including an appearance in the 1995
state championship game during his
senior campaign. He was described
by one former high school teammate
as a “great guy” with a “very high
football IQ.”
Song replaces Joe Allen who
spent six seasons at the helm and was
hired at Northwood last month.
During his tenure, Allen guided
the Bulldogs to a 36-27 record including a 6-4 mark last year.
Churchill had four winning seasons
during the Allen era and finished 102 and captured the division title during the 2011 campaign.
On the web. All the time.
www.thesentinel.com
22
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
SPORTS
Student-athletes from Gaithersburg sign letters
By Brandy L. Simms
Senior Sports Writer
GAITHERSBURG – A pair of
senior student-athletes from
Gaithersburg High School signed
letters of intent on Wednesday during National Signing Day.
Jaime
Montgomery,
a
women’s soccer standout, and Kamonte Carter, a football star, put
pen to paper and made their college
commitments official on Wednesday morning.
Montgomery, a forward,
signed to play women’s soccer at
Palm Beach Atlantic University
and Carter, a defensive end, signed
to play college football at Penn
State.
“In order to take it to the next
level you have to be a student
first,” said Gaithersburg Principal
Dr. Christine Handy-Collins. “We
wish you only the best at the next
level and we want you to always remember that you are a student
first.”
Both student-athletes thanked
the support they received from
their parents, coaches and the
school administration including
Handy-Collins and Athletic Director Jason Woodward.
“You guys helped me get to
this point so thank you so much,”
said Montgomery, who said she
also plans to join the Palm Beach
Atlantic University women’s
lacrosse program as a walk-on next
year.
According to Montgomery,
women’s lacrosse already exists as
a club sport at PBAU but the Sailfish are expected to establish a varsity program within the next year.
Montgomery said the school’s
location in Florida was an ideal situation for her. Palm Beach Atlantic
University is located in West Palm
Beach.
“I really like the coach and
they’re also letting me play
lacrosse there too,” said Montgomery.
Meanwhile, Carter became
the latest Gaithersburg football
product to accept a Division I
scholarship. Last year, former
Gaithersburg running back
Solomon Vault signed with Northwestern.
Like Vault, Carter will play
major college football in the Big
Ten Conference against the likes of
Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan
State, Wisconsin and others.
“It’s big time ball,” said
Carter. “I can’t wait.”
DeMatha hockey overcomes G-Prep 5-2
By Ted Black
Sentinel Sports
In one of those rare inter-county
clashes on the ice each winter, the
DeMatha hockey team overcame
two one-goal deficits to dispose of
visiting Georgetown Prep 5-2 on
Wednesday afternoon at the Garden’s Ice House in Laurel.
DeMatha (17-15-3) dominated
the first period of play as the Stags
owned a 13-5 advantage in shots on
goals against the Little Hoyas, but as
was the case one week earlier against
Mt. St. Joseph’s when DeMatha’s
46-10 dominance in shots on goals
was not entirely reflected on the
scoreboard, the Stags were unable to
score in the opener against Georgetown Prep freshman net-minder Will
Boggs.
After denying the Stags on a
power play chance early in the second period, Georgetown Prep (6-5-3)
eventually broke the scoreless deadlock on a power play late in the second period when a shot by Macdowell Johnston eluded DeMatha senior
goalie Kevin Mackey’s glove and
caromed off the right post and into
the net to give the Little Hoyas a 1-0
lead with 2:23 remaining in the period.
Georgetown Prep looked poised
to take the tepid advantage into the
Zamboni break between the second
and third periods, but the Stags drew
even with only 7.2 seconds left in the
second on a hard, low shot by Ryan
Sneddon that bounced past Boggs.
Through two periods of play, DeMatha owned a 20-10 advantage in
shots on goals, but the Stags and Little Hoyas tied at one apiece heading
to the third.
“We have a tendency to start
slow and today I thought both teams
came out a little sluggish,” said DeMatha coach Tony MacAullay. “We
had a few good scoring chances in
the first period, but we didn’t finish.”
Sneddon had a chance to break
the deadlock in the opening seconds
of the third period, but Boggs made a
tough save and moments later the
Little Hoyas responded. Jack Olson
scored off an assist from Blaine Cole
to give Georgetown Prep a 2-1 lead
with 14:18 remaining. Despite taking
half as many shots as the Stags the
Little Hoyas, momentarily, had
scored twice as many goals.
DeMatha went on the offensive
over the next five minutes and initially Boggs proved resolute, denying
the Stags on a handful of good shots
in close. But Brandon Cole scored on
an assist from Austin Weber to tie the
score at two-all with 10:28 remaining. Less than 20 seconds later junior
Max Morgan stuffed home a rebound
off a shot from the point by John
Henrici that gave the hosts a 3-2 lead
they would not relinquish.
“John took a great shot from the
top,” Morgan said. “I was right there
for the chance. We started a little
slow, but after the second period our
coach gave us an inspirational
speech and we really got motivated
by it. That last 10 minutes we just really started to get on a roll.”
Once the Stags gained the upper
hand and the momentum, they
padded their advantage. Ryan
Sweeney gave the hosts some breathing room with a goal with 5:23 remaining in the contest and Nick Keppler essentially sealed the verdict
with another goal 20 seconds later, as
Kevin Mcguire was credited with an
assist on each of the last two goals.
After trailing 2-1 early in the third
period, DeMatha countered with four
unanswered goals over a five minute
and 25-second span.
“We came into the game a little
shorthanded,” said Georgetown Prep
assistant coach Nick Bliss. “We were
missing a couple of guys to injuries
and a few other guys had other commitments. I thought the guys really
played hard all the way to the end.
They kept fighting even when we got
behind in the third period.”
DeMatha is currently in the
teeth of its Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League schedule with pending
games against Archbishop Spalding
on Friday, Calvert Hall on Monday,
Gonzaga next Wednesday and then
Mt. St. Joesph’s next Friday in the
annual “Wounded Warrior” game at
the Garden’s Ice House – the latter of
which is expected to attract a capacity crowd of 1,800.
COURTESY PHOTO
Jaime Montgomery, left and Kamonte Carter, right.
Travis Hawkins and the
Super Bowl connection
By Brandy L. Simms
Senior Sports Writer
Malcolm Butler played the role
of Super Bowl hero after making a
spectacular goal line interception to
preserve the New England Patriots’
28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Butler, a Mississippi native,
beat out Quince Orchard product and
former All-Sentinel standout Travis
Hawkins during New England’s preseason training camp to earn a spot
on the 53-man roster.
After the two undrafted rookie
free agent cornerbacks battled
against each other in training camp
last summer, good sportsmanship is
coming out on top.
Hawkins, who last month
signed with the Canadian Football
League’s Toronto Argonauts, unleashed a few tweets during the game
on Sunday showing support for Butler.
“Put Malcolm Butler in the
game,” Hawkins tweeted.
“They must have seen my
tweet,” Hawkins tweeted later. “Let’s
go Malcolm keep workin out there
Bruh.”
“Malcolm Butler! Did I speak
my boy up or what?” he tweeted later.
“Malc should get MVP,”
Hawkins tweeted after Butler’s
game-clinching interception that
helped New England earn the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl title.
During his high school career at
Quince Orchard, Hawkins was a
three-year starter who played multiple positions on the field. As a junior,
he registered 42 tackles on defense
and compiled more than 1,100 yards
of total offense while helping to lead
the Cougars to the 2007 Maryland
4A state championship.
During the NFL postseason,
Hawkins, who finished his college
career at Delaware after transferring
from Maryland, flew to Seattle to
support Marcus Burley, a former
Delaware roommate who plays cornerback for the Seahawks.
Although his NFL experience
with New England was short-lived,
Hawkins said he felt grateful to be
part of a first-class organization.
“It was a great experience,” he
said. “I wish my stay there was
longer but I feel like I will get another shot in the near future.”
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FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
23
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THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL
FEBRUARY 5, 2015